Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London: March 2024
Photography, portraits and protest.
10 months ago
Photography, portraits and protest.
Spoon & Tamago
Discover Fukui Sake Along the Kuzuryu River at Eshikoto
all images courtesy Furuya Design Eshikoto is a brand created by Nizaemon Ishidaya, proprietor of...
a year ago
all images courtesy Furuya Design Eshikoto is a brand created by Nizaemon Ishidaya, proprietor of the Kokuryu Sake Brewery which was founded in 1804 in the mountains of Fukui. With a motto not dissimilar to the famous quote from Field of Dreams–”if we make good sake, people will...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 28 August-3 September 2023
Escaped monkeys, the Great Fire, and a new Eurostar service.
a year ago
Escaped monkeys, the Great Fire, and a new Eurostar service.
Spoon & Tamago
Not a Hotel: A Unique Timeshare Concept Redefining Luxury Travel
All images © Kenta Hasegawa courtesy Suppose Design Office “Buy a vacation home that doubles as a...
a year ago
All images © Kenta Hasegawa courtesy Suppose Design Office “Buy a vacation home that doubles as a hotel.” That’s the tagline for ‘Not A Hotel,’ a real estate start-up founded by Shinji Hamazu. The company challenges the traditional hotel model by treating it as a timeshare and...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ways to Experience Minnesota's Scandinavian Heritage
8 months ago
diamond geezer
London's High Streets
How many High Streets are there in London?
Here's a map.
Acton, Barkingside, Barnet, Beckenham,...
6 months ago
How many High Streets are there in London?
Here's a map.
Acton, Barkingside, Barnet, Beckenham, Brentford, Bromley, Carshalton, Cheam, Chislehurst, Cowley, Cranford, Croydon, Downe, Ealing, Edgware, Farnborough, Feltham, Green Street Green, Hampton, Hampton Wick, Harefield,...
diamond geezer
30s update
This is probably a good day for my annual heatwave update.
Dates on which the temperature at...
4 months ago
This is probably a good day for my annual heatwave update.
Dates on which the temperature at Hampstead reached 30°C
JunJulAugSep
2010279/10
201127
2012 2518
2013 13 15/16/17 221
2014 18
2015 122
2016 18/19/202413
201717/18/19/20/216
2018 5/6/7/8 15 23 25/26/272/3...
diamond geezer
The December 2024 tube map
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
It's...
2 weeks ago
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
It's unfortunate because the last tube map was only released three weeks ago. Alas it included a typo so the decision was taken to withdraw the entire batch pending a reprint, and here...
Londonist
How To See London's Christmas Lights By Bus
Watch the illuminations roll past, from your moquette throne.
a year ago
Watch the illuminations roll past, from your moquette throne.
Spoon & Tamago
Repurposing Japan’s Glut of Empty Homes as Greenhouses
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic and immediate impact on Yuichiro Shimizu’s taxi business. As...
a year ago
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic and immediate impact on Yuichiro Shimizu’s taxi business. As early as January 2020, Nichiei Taxi, a local business that has been servicing Saitama prefecture for over 50 years, saw their revenue drop by a staggering 80%. To save the company,...
diamond geezer
All lines challenge
"How can you travel just one stop on every tube line?" is an interesting question.
2003 as part of...
a year ago
"How can you travel just one stop on every tube line?" is an interesting question.
2003 as part of this blog's very first Tube Week, and again in 2015 when I went out and rode the solution. It's a question which can be varied according to how you choose to define a tube line,...
Cheese and Biscuits
64 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia
The first thing we were given to eat at 64 Goodge Street was a little plate of truffle-cream...
5 months ago
The first thing we were given to eat at 64 Goodge Street was a little plate of truffle-cream gougères topped with shaved Comté. These turned out to be important for two reasons - firstly, they weren't on the menu and as unannounced bonus extra dishes go you could hardly do more...
Londonist
The Crazy Clown Church Service That Happens In Hackney Every February
Send in the clowns!
11 months ago
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
Christmas Carol Concerts In London To Make You Feel All Warm And Fuzzy Inside This December
Including one with dogs. Woof!
a year ago
Including one with dogs. Woof!
diamond geezer
London's triple points
There are six points around the Greater London boundary where three counties...
a year ago
There are six points around the Greater London boundary where three counties meet.
London/Kent/Surrey
Specifically: Biggin Hill/Westerham/Tatsfield
Location: Rag Hill
To get here take a walk along the quiet twisty country lane that wends between Tatsfield Green and the...
Londonist
In Pictures: Vintage London Palladium Programmes
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
a year ago
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
Londonist
The Grant Museum Of Zoology Is Reopening Very Soon
And yes, the jar of moles will still be there.
11 months ago
And yes, the jar of moles will still be there.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Architectural Wonders: 5 Cities You Must See
6 months ago
diamond geezer
Lambeth NEWS
Lambeth North
northernmost point in the borough of Lambeth. Which is here in the middle of Waterloo...
a year ago
Lambeth North
northernmost point in the borough of Lambeth. Which is here in the middle of Waterloo Bridge.
Officially it's quarter of a mile downstream in the middle of the River Thames, but you can't stand there. The furthest north you can go in Lambeth without resorting to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Embark on island-hopping adventures and explore ancient wineries in Croatia
10 months ago
Londonist
70+ Spectacular Things To Do In London This Month: September 2023
Open House London! Plus a new music festival, fashion exhibitions, pole dancing, and sheep on the...
a year ago
Open House London! Plus a new music festival, fashion exhibitions, pole dancing, and sheep on the loose.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 5-11 February 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
11 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Are the Most Endangered Historic Sites in America
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 Great All-Inclusive Hyatt Resorts in Mexico & Caribbean
a year ago
Londonist
Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree: Where's It From? What's Its History? When's The Switch-On?
Spruce up on your arboreal knowhow.
a year ago
Spruce up on your arboreal knowhow.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 11-17 March 2024
Our best articles from the past week.
9 months ago
Our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
The fares post
The fares post
announcement yesterday about trialling off-peak fares on Fridays.
Here's the...
11 months ago
The fares post
announcement yesterday about trialling off-peak fares on Fridays.
Here's the start of the press release.
• Off-peak journeys on Fridays could transform the morning commute for Londoners and provide a welcome further boost to London’s economy
The plan is to...
Spoon & Tamago
Close-up Photographs of Sumo Wrestlers Evoke Mountain Ranges Shrouded in Fog
Last month, the 107th High School Kanazawa City Sumo Tournament was held. The event has been held...
a year ago
Last month, the 107th High School Kanazawa City Sumo Tournament was held. The event has been held annually for over 100 years and attracts spectators locally but also from across Japan. But for the past 3 years, because of covid restrictions, the event had been held without...
Londonist
The Killer 1962 Smog Of London
And no, we don't mean 1952.
a year ago
And no, we don't mean 1952.
diamond geezer
Rejigging the Bow Roundabout
(this is the first post written on my new laptop)
(Windows 11 remains very unfamiliar - a lot's...
4 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Tsuchiya Kaban Creates Leather Randoseru For Dogs
Tsuchiya Kaban, the 58-year old Japanese leather bagmaker known for their highly-specific bags, has...
a year ago
Tsuchiya Kaban, the 58-year old Japanese leather bagmaker known for their highly-specific bags, has released their very first line-up of pet products. And their doggy randoseru is absolutely adorable. For those who aren’t familiar, randoseru are backpacks for kids. Typically made...
Londonist
HS2: What's Going On? Is Is Still Going To Euston? Is It Too 'Londoncentric'?
This could just be the fattest, whitest elephant ever to lumber across Britain.
a year ago
This could just be the fattest, whitest elephant ever to lumber across Britain.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Victoria, Oxshott
More often than not, any given world-class gastropub is a good journey away from London. There are...
a year ago
More often than not, any given world-class gastropub is a good journey away from London. There are exceptions, of course - the Drapers Arms, the Pelican, and the Baring are all brilliant places to enjoy a pie and a pint within the M25 - but these are rare. Usually, to find that...
diamond geezer
London's least busy bus stop
Where is London's least busy bus stop?
It is however a very difficult question to answer, much...
7 months ago
Where is London's least busy bus stop?
It is however a very difficult question to answer, much harder than where's the busiest.
last year when TfL released a Weekday Passenger Data spreadsheet providing the number of boarders at all 19,827 of their bus stops during the month...
diamond geezer
Carpenters Road
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive...
7 months ago
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive industries could be snuffed out in readiness for the Olympics. It took until 2014 to reopen, freshly sanitised, as a link road round the back of the Olympic Park. It then closed...
diamond geezer
BBC Breaking News alerts
Like millions of Britons I have the BBC News app on my phone, and like millions of Britons I get...
3 months ago
Like millions of Britons I have the BBC News app on my phone, and like millions of Britons I get Breaking News alerts flashed to me on my screen when something happens. But all too often I find myself thinking "That's not breaking news", or even "that's not news", as another...
Spoon & Tamago
The 2024 Toyama Kei-Truck Gardening Contest
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the...
7 months ago
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the most-Japanese contest, professional gardeners and landscapers compete to create a beautiful, seasonal, and unique landscape , all within the bed of their kei-trucks. This contest originated...
Londonist
RAF Hornchurch: Visit The Fascinating Museum Of This East London Airfield
Zeppelins, Guinea Pigs and the Great Escape.
a year ago
Zeppelins, Guinea Pigs and the Great Escape.
Londonist
10 Things You Learn From Living In The Tower Of London
William the Conqueror did NOT build those walls with a strong internet connection in mind.
9 months ago
William the Conqueror did NOT build those walls with a strong internet connection in mind.
diamond geezer
Single life
Single life
Yes, I used to post this every year, but now I only do it every five.
Single: You get...
2 months ago
Single life
Yes, I used to post this every year, but now I only do it every five.
Single: You get the whole duvet to yourself.
Coupled: You don't need a hot water bottle.
Single: There's half as much ironing to do.
Coupled: There's twice as much ironing to do but somebody else...
Londonist
Explore A Lost Victorian London In This Free Exhibition
A London Disappeared at LMA.
10 months ago
A London Disappeared at LMA.
Londonist
19 Images That Tell The Vivid History Of The South Bank
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
a year ago
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
diamond geezer
Revisiting Northwall Road
Yesterday was one of the ten busiest days ever on this blog. Almost ten thousand people turned...
11 months ago
Yesterday was one of the ten busiest days ever on this blog. Almost ten thousand people turned up.
• When an American website got excited about the location of pylons in London they linked to something I'd written 4 days earlier. That was my 3rd best ever day.
American website...
diamond geezer
Unofficial tube map news 2
I always keep my eyes peeled for a new tube map, even when one isn't scheduled. So I was surprised...
a year ago
I always keep my eyes peeled for a new tube map, even when one isn't scheduled. So I was surprised to see a cover I'd never seen before in the rack at Bow Road station yesterday morning. It was mostly black, and they don't make tube maps with mostly-black covers so I thought that...
The Forney Flyer
Flood Relief Flying
You may remember that I mentioned in a previous blog post a few weeks ago, that there had been...
over a year ago
You may remember that I mentioned in a previous blog post a few weeks ago, that there had been severe floods in Western Uganda (and other parts of the country) in early-mid May. Well, several weeks later, we were given special permission by various authorities to fly relief...
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...
diamond geezer
London's highest station
What's London's highest station?
Richard).
en-gb.topographic-map.com. This displays the elevation...
a year ago
What's London's highest station?
Richard).
en-gb.topographic-map.com. This displays the elevation of the land using a colourful scale, with blue the lowest and red the highest.
Precisely what colour equals what height varies as you zoom in and out. On this map at this scale...
diamond geezer
Unblogged September
30 unblogged things I did in September
(contains nine additional clickable photos)
Fri 1: "Hi,"...
a year ago
30 unblogged things I did in September
(contains nine additional clickable photos)
Fri 1: "Hi," said the email. "I hope this doesn't come across as too strange but here goes. I was recently browsing eBay for a few things and came across something that I think you might like. So...
diamond geezer
Historic Hounslow High Street
Historic Hounslow High Street
Past
bypassed in 1925 reducing the flow of traffic and boosting...
11 months ago
Historic Hounslow High Street
Past
bypassed in 1925 reducing the flow of traffic and boosting the High Street's importance as a shopping centre for the growing suburb. Then in the late 1960s it was part-pedestrianised in readiness for nearby redevelopment (as you can see...
Londonist
Time Travel Back To 17th Century London - With This Royalist Reenactment Along The Mall
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
a year ago
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
Londonist
The Golden Age Of Transatlantic Travel Hides In Plain Sight By Trafalgar Square
Cockspur Street was a cornucopia of cruise line companies.
a year ago
Cockspur Street was a cornucopia of cruise line companies.
diamond geezer
Leap day
Leap day - 29 leap facts for February 29th
1) Leap years occur quadrennially, that's every four...
10 months ago
Leap day - 29 leap facts for February 29th
1) Leap years occur quadrennially, that's every four years. They're required because a solar year is almost exactly 365¼ days long, and over a four year period those four quarter-days add up to make one whole extra day.
2) Today is the...
Londonist
The New DLR Trains Could Have Toy Steering Wheels Installed
Best. News. Ever.
11 months ago
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Weekend Guide to Skiing and Dining in Park City, Utah
3 weeks ago
Londonist
The Ballot For Wimbledon 2024 Is Now Open
Ace!
a year ago
Londonist
When A Tube Train Full Of Passengers Was Abandoned In The Tunnel
The stuff of nightmares.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Pudding Mill Lane 10
The DLR's youngest station is ten years old today.
Pudding Mill Lane opened on 28th April 2014...
8 months ago
The DLR's youngest station is ten years old today.
Pudding Mill Lane opened on 28th April 2014 and remains unnecessarily enormous.
Caveat: The station which opened 10 years ago was a rebuild paid for by Crossrail, because the original sat on the precise site where purple...
diamond geezer
The Overground renaming story
The Overground renaming story
Sep 2006: The Mayor announced yesterday that he's found a cunning way...
a month ago
The Overground renaming story
Sep 2006: The Mayor announced yesterday that he's found a cunning way of extending the tube network without forking out billions on new tunnels. He's taking a couple of existing rail services - namely Silverlink's North London line and TfL's East...
diamond geezer
The Battle of Barnet
The Battle of Barnet, one of the key turning points of the Wars of the Roses, took place on 14th...
8 months ago
The Battle of Barnet, one of the key turning points of the Wars of the Roses, took place on 14th April 1471. A 553rd anniversary's not particularly major but unfortunately I missed the 550th, as did most of the population of Barnet due to lockdown issues. Also the battle took...
diamond geezer
It's all downhill from here
It's all downhill from here.
This set of freak circumstances is never going to happen again. A...
6 months ago
It's all downhill from here.
This set of freak circumstances is never going to happen again. A Conservative party proven long-term incompetent by a sequence of abysmal Prime Ministers, a last minute intervention by Nigel Farage draining support away from the right, the Lib Dems...
Londonist
New Exhibition Explores How William Shakespeare Shaped Britain’s Experience Of War
From the English Civil War to the present day.
a year ago
From the English Civil War to the present day.
Spoon & Tamago
Isometric Drawings of Sento, Kissaten and other Japanese Establishments by Honami Enya
rendering of the Takara-yu sento in Tokyo Japanese illustrator Enya Honami uses a style of...
4 months ago
rendering of the Takara-yu sento in Tokyo Japanese illustrator Enya Honami uses a style of architectural rendering known as isometric drawings to faithfully recreate cross-sections of Japanese public bathhouses, or sento. Honami is a skilled draughtswoman by trade, having...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The FAA Bill Could Greatly Improve Air Travel—Here's How
a year ago
Londonist
Pedlar's Acre: The Mysterious Bit Of South Bank Where The London Eye Now Stands
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
10 months ago
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
Spoon & Tamago
City and Forest Living in a Unique Concrete Log House
All images © Ichiro Mishima courtesy IKAWAYA Architects Merging the organic with the inorganic;...
a year ago
All images © Ichiro Mishima courtesy IKAWAYA Architects Merging the organic with the inorganic; walking the fine line between indoors and outdoors, is a predominant theme in contemporary Japanese architecture. One of the latest iterations is from architect Atsushi Ikawaya, who...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 16-17 September 2023
Comedy, podcasts, fashion exhibitions, Open House and the Great River Race.
a year ago
Comedy, podcasts, fashion exhibitions, Open House and the Great River Race.
Londonist
Short Courses At UAL: Learn Life-Changing Creative Skills How (And When) You Want
Over 1,000 short courses to choose from.
a year ago
Over 1,000 short courses to choose from.
diamond geezer
The Lookout
The City of London looks favourably upon planning applications for very tall buildings which come...
a year ago
The City of London looks favourably upon planning applications for very tall buildings which come with a free viewing gallery. Get the public into the Square Mile and they'll spend money here is their very reasonable premise, even if it sometimes results in even-more-towering...
Spoon & Tamago
Manga Artist Hirohiko Araki Pays Tribute to Osaka Station’s History and Culture with New Public Art...
Osaka Station just got a little more bizzare. Manga artist Hirohiko Araki, known best for his epic...
5 months ago
Osaka Station just got a little more bizzare. Manga artist Hirohiko Araki, known best for his epic saga Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, has installed his first-ever public art piece at Osaka Station’s West Gate. Titled “Fountain Boy,” the circular, back-lit sculpture pays homage to the...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 15-21 January 2024
The best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
The best articles from the past week.
One from Nippon
Japan's Comfort Food: The Onigiri
Walk into any Japanese convenience store and you will always find a shelf dedicated to one item:...
11 months ago
Walk into any Japanese convenience store and you will always find a shelf dedicated to one item: onigiri.
The onigiri, often translated as “rice ball”, literally means “grasping a fistful” and is in many ways Japan's original fast food, before fast food. Quick to
Cheese and Biscuits
The Hightown Inn, Liverpool
Despite spending the first 20 years of my life about 100m up the road from the Hightown Inn (then...
4 days ago
Despite spending the first 20 years of my life about 100m up the road from the Hightown Inn (then the Hightown Hotel), I never really considered this grand old Victorian building to be much of a "local". I was far more likely to get the train to the Railway in Formby where most...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #8
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are now into their second month (or their third month if...
2 months ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are now into their second month (or their third month if you're the manager who cancels buses).
a curve of concrete block paving that's due to become roadway, so fairly trivial.
Previous updates: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Plan a Relaxing Getaway in the Austrian Alps
6 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Fukutake Tres is an Art Space Dedicated to the Fukutake Family, the Visionary Force Behind the...
Over the past three decades, Soichiro Fukutake, the former chairman of Tokyo-based education firm...
6 months ago
Over the past three decades, Soichiro Fukutake, the former chairman of Tokyo-based education firm Benesse Holdings, and his family have spent $250 million of their fortune to transform Naoshima and roughly a dozen neighboring islands in the Seto Inland Sea into a global art...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 27 November-3 December 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
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...
diamond geezer
The greatest sport
Why is football the world's greatest sport?
It might not be your favourite sport but that's not...
5 months ago
Why is football the world's greatest sport?
It might not be your favourite sport but that's not relevant here - on a global stage football dominates all.
One reason is that football's so simple to play. It's just you and a ball and all you have to do is kick it. Most other...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Rose, Deal
A stroll along the High Street in Deal reveals a town very much at the forefront of the wider...
a year ago
A stroll along the High Street in Deal reveals a town very much at the forefront of the wider Kentish food revolution. There seem to be more than the usual number of artisan butchers and fishmongers for what is otherwise a fairly small (albeit very quaint) seaside town. There's a...
diamond geezer
DIY blogpost
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of...
a year ago
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of factual musings, hopefully entertaining and illuminating, for the wider readership to enjoy. I'll pick the topic, you provide the words.
Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to write...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Five Great Places to Visit on Your Next Vacation to Florida
8 months ago
diamond geezer
Tube 160 Treasure Hunt
Are you at a loose end tomorrow? Do you like looking at station architecture? Would you like a...
11 months ago
Are you at a loose end tomorrow? Do you like looking at station architecture? Would you like a surprise birthday gift from TfL? If the answer to all these questions is yes then why not take part in the Tube 160 Treasure Hunt? You even get to travel round central London for...
Londonist
A Map Of Westminster Place Names And Where They Come From
From Maida Vale to Covent Garden.
9 months ago
From Maida Vale to Covent Garden.
Spoon & Tamago
A Weathered Copper Facade Oxidized by Soy Sauce Defines Suetomi’s New Kyoto Cafe
Suetomi, the well-established Japanese Confectionery shop in Kyoto, has started a new venture with a...
a year ago
Suetomi, the well-established Japanese Confectionery shop in Kyoto, has started a new venture with a café business named AoQ
Related posts:
Kaikado’s Tea and Coffee Cafe in Kyoto
Cafe Fang: An Oasis of Books and Coffee in Kyoto
Discover Souvenirs Galore at Kyoto’s Newest Gift...
Londonist
Welsh Things To Do In London
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
10 months ago
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
diamond geezer
Open House (2)
Yesterday's Open House tally was six.
• The dazzling property where the volunteer arrived with a...
a year ago
Yesterday's Open House tally was six.
• The dazzling property where the volunteer arrived with a key one minute before the official opening time and asked if we wouldn't mind going somewhere else for quarter of an hour.
Let's do four of those in more detail (not necessarily...
Londonist
Where To Eat Pancakes In London
Our favourite pancake spots, any day of the year.
11 months ago
Our favourite pancake spots, any day of the year.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Southern Hospitality: Unveiling 3 Fabulous Hotels in Historic Cities for Your Next Getaway
7 months ago
Londonist
The Natural History Museum Is Throwing Another Epic New Year's Eve Bash
It's going to be WILD.
a year ago
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 19-25 February 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Green Link Walk 3
Let's return to London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st...
9 months ago
Let's return to 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...
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
Replacing Overground signage
The renaming of the Overground lines draws closer, indeed should be taking place next month. The...
4 months ago
The renaming of the Overground lines draws closer, indeed should be taking place next month. The original intention was for the changeover to be in August in conjunction with a new tube map, but that's not happened so technically it's late. That said, an awful lot of signage on...
Cheese and Biscuits
Hong Kong Restaurant, Angel
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at...
2 months ago
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at least a decent dinner. There are too many tourist traps, dingy fast food joints, grim chains and bandwagon-jumping copycats (just see how many smash burger joints have appeared in...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Tips for Avoiding Crowds and Enjoying Croatia
10 months ago
Londonist
That Time Someone Rode A Lambretta Down The Thames
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
a year ago
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
Londonist
Behind The Blue Doors Of Brixton's Georgian Almshouse
Free exhibition comes to Lambeth Archives.
9 months ago
Free exhibition comes to Lambeth Archives.
Londonist
Join The Race To Help Beat Childhood Cancer On A Family-Friendly Fun Run
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
a year ago
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
diamond geezer
McDonald's in Woolwich at 50
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque...
a month ago
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque outside.
The three signatories were big names in the American company - Robert Rhea, Fred Turner and Ray Kroc - but none of them turned up. Instead the ribbon was cut by the dynamic...
Londonist
Tempting New Afternoon Teas To Try In London Right Now: March 2024
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
10 months ago
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
Londonist
Atlas of Imagined Cities: Who Lives Where in TV, Books, Games and Movies?
New book maps the worlds of fiction.
a year ago
New book maps the worlds of fiction.
diamond geezer
Everyman Stratford International
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates...
2 weeks ago
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates Westfield from the Olympic Park, now officially known as Stratford Cross. It's housed in a brushed metal box tucked beneath 20 floors of Grade A office space. It has three screens,...
Londonist
Things To Do In The Borough Of Kingston Upon Thames
Or ROYAL Kingston upon Thames, if you insist.
10 months ago
Or ROYAL Kingston upon Thames, if you insist.
diamond geezer
BBC2@60
60years@BBC2
1964 Play School, Horizon, Match Of The Day, Not Only But Also; 1965 Call My Bluff, Man...
8 months ago
60years@BBC2
1964 Play School, Horizon, Match Of The Day, Not Only But Also; 1965 Call My Bluff, Man Alive; 1966 The Money Programme, Chronicle, Cathy Come Home; 1967 The Forsyte Saga, Look and Read, colour televison; 1968 Gardeners' World, The Morecambe & Wise Show; 1969 Q, Pot...
Londonist
Life Drawing With Wolves... In A London Hotel
Anyone can get involved... even kids!
a year ago
Anyone can get involved... even kids!
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
How Aldwych Tube Station Could Have Become A Heritage 'Theme Park'
A subterranean heritage railway.
9 months ago
A subterranean heritage railway.
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...
9 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...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 11-17 September 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
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.
Londonist
Dad's Army Museum: Go On A Classic Sitcom Pilgrimage On This Day Trip From London
"Now pay attention..."
a year ago
diamond geezer
London Countries - Albania
For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be writing a full alphabetical series of posts called London...
7 months ago
For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be writing a full alphabetical series of posts called London Countries.
But think more deeply and it's actually a terrible idea, at least in its entirety, which is why it won't be happening.
Albania and I'd be starting to scrape the...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 2-3 September 2023
A vintage sale, a David Bowie club night, and a wealth of festivals to kickstart September.
a year ago
A vintage sale, a David Bowie club night, and a wealth of festivals to kickstart September.
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in July 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in July 2024
1) TfL will not reveal the maximum speed on...
5 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in July 2024
1) TfL will not reveal the maximum speed on each tube line because "disclosure of the information you have requested would be likely to adversely affect the safety and security of TfL employees and members of the general...
Londonist
Ian McKellen Is Back Doing Shakespeare On The London Stage In 2024
Player Kings launches in the spring.
a year ago
Player Kings launches in the spring.
diamond geezer
Far From Super Loop
On bus shelters across London TfL are keenly advertising the Superloop. The poster shows a bus, a...
a year ago
On bus shelters across London TfL are keenly advertising the Superloop. The poster shows a bus, a rainbow burst of pastel colours and the legend The Superloop Is Coming. The given date is Spring 2024 and it's described as a commitment by the Mayor to improve public transport in...
Londonist
Inside London's New Women's Museum
Head east for London's latest cultural offering.
10 months ago
Head east for London's latest cultural offering.
Londonist
The Elysian Arcs: Giant Rainbows And Bubbles Appear Beneath Cheesegrater
Free installation bring colour to City.
10 months ago
Free installation bring colour to City.
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.
Londonist
New Barbie Exhibition To Open In London Next Year
Hi Barbie!
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 7-8 October 2023
Oktoberfest parties, rugby screenings, and an open day at a rather niche museum.
a year ago
Oktoberfest parties, rugby screenings, and an open day at a rather niche museum.
Spoon & Tamago
Tenohira Hanabi Let’s You Enjoy Sparklers in the Palm of Your Hand
Senko hanabi, literally meaning ‘incense fireworks,’ are small and subtle sparklers that are packed...
5 months ago
Senko hanabi, literally meaning ‘incense fireworks,’ are small and subtle sparklers that are packed with about 10 seconds of delicate pyrotechnics. Typically sold alongside other handheld fireworks, the unspoken rule is that senko hanabi are reserved for the grand finale....
diamond geezer
Going unitary
Local government organisation in England is complicated, always has been, which is why the...
2 weeks ago
Local government organisation in England is complicated, always has been, which is why the government are keen to reorganise it.
There are 317 councils in England:
(upper-tier)
(lower-tier)
(unitary)
(unitary)
(unitary)
(unitary)
Logically it makes no sense that some shire...
diamond geezer
Wood End
Do you ever look at the front of a bus and think "where the hell is that?"?
actual place in actual...
2 months ago
Do you ever look at the front of a bus and think "where the hell is that?"?
actual place in actual London. It even has a library, or rather it did but we'll get to that. You'll find it west of Sudbury, north of Greenford, east of Northolt and south of South Harrow, if that...
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
Another Free Quentin Blake Exhibition In April
The master illustrator is back.
9 months ago
The master illustrator is back.
diamond geezer
Some transport news
Some transport news
Overground news
It's only accessible via QR code so it's not that...
5 months ago
Some transport news
Overground news
It's only accessible via QR code so it's not that accessible, but I clicked through and discovered the URL is vin.cloud.gomedia.io/HOXTON so you can check it out too. The homescreen is a list of the next three departures and their expected...
Londonist
Chelsea In Bloom 2024: Giant Floral Caterpillar To Take Over Sloane Square
Free flower festival returns... with a foodie theme.
10 months ago
Free flower festival returns... with a foodie theme.
diamond geezer
The rising price of the double issue Radio Times
The Christmas double issue Radio Times has been published.
cover price has gone up again.
(and 50...
3 weeks ago
The Christmas double issue Radio Times has been published.
cover price has gone up again.
(and 50 years ago, just 16p)
The data: 1974 16p, 1975 20p, 1976 22p, 1977 26p, 1978 26p, 1979 30p, 1980 36p, 1981 50p, 1982 50p, 1983 56p, 1984 60p, 1985 64p, 1986 70p, 1987 74p, 1988...
diamond geezer
The five smallest parks in Barking & Dagenham
Join me on a journey of data-driven disappointment as I attempt to answer a question nobody else is...
a month ago
Join me on a journey of data-driven disappointment as I attempt to answer a question nobody else is asking.
What are the five smallest parks in Barking & Dagenham?
map.
"We're so proud Barking and Dagenham has 28 brilliant parks and open spaces which are much loved by so many...
Londonist
10 Tempting New Afternoon Teas To Try In London Right Now: February 2024
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
11 months ago
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
Londonist
Dreaming Of Owning A Home In France? You Need To Know About This Event!
The French Property Exhibition returns to London this month.
12 months ago
The French Property Exhibition returns to London this month.
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.
Londonist
5 Historic Castles To Visit In Essex
Including one that's a fake.
9 months ago
Including one that's a fake.
Londonist
In Pictures: The East End Pubs Of London
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
a year ago
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
diamond geezer
24 things to see in SE24
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 24 (because N tops out at N22). Come with...
a year ago
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 24 (because N tops out at N22). Come with me to Herne Hill SE24.
24 things to see in SE24
1) Visit Brockwell Park
finest parks perfectly plonked on a small hill with commanding views across much of central London. It...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Alberta Winter Getaway for Nature, Wellness, and Culture
a month ago
Londonist
Tate Britain Reveals Grenfell-Inspired Staircase
Chris Ofili's Requiem unveiled.
a year ago
Chris Ofili's Requiem unveiled.
AFAR Media - Travel...
United Airlines Credit Cards Increase Sign-Up Bonuses
a year ago
diamond geezer
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Hurrah it's November which can mean only one thing.......
a year ago
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Hurrah it's November which can mean only one thing.... Christmas is here! It's time once again to pimp up your feeds, boost the brands and push the festive content. But have you remembered all the important marketing angles and have you...
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London: February 2024
Clocks, consumerism and centurions.
11 months ago
Clocks, consumerism and centurions.
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Airlines Make Flying Easier for Travelers With Autism
a year ago
diamond geezer
Count update
After a week of The Count, i.e. 25%, here's what I said I'd count and some of what you asked me to...
11 months ago
After a week of The Count, i.e. 25%, here's what I said I'd count and some of what you asked me to count.
Sorry, some of your suggestions proved terribly impractical.
Count 1) Number of visits to this blog: 22300
Count 2) Number of comments on this blog: 209
Count 3) Number of...
diamond geezer
One Stop Beyond
But what are the first stations beyond the Greater London boundary?
Herts
Moor Park...
4 months ago
But what are the first stations beyond the Greater London boundary?
Herts
Moor Park z6/7
Carpenders Park z7
Herts
Elstree and
Borehamwood z6
Potters Bar
Herts
Cuffley
Theobalds Grove z7
Waltham Cross z7
Essex
Buckhurst Hill z5
Roding Valley z4
Grange Hill...
Londonist
Get Toasty In This King's Cross Sauna For Just £6 A Session
Slow Motion Sauna is in town for three weeks.
11 months ago
Slow Motion Sauna is in town for three weeks.
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Artists Summon Mythical Creatures of the Echigo Region for the 2024 Wara Art Festival
photos courtesy Wara Art Festival Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days,...
3 months ago
photos courtesy Wara Art Festival 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...
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
Crisp packet colours
As you probably know, BBC local radio is currently engaged in rapid strategic contraction in an...
a year ago
As you probably know, BBC local radio is currently engaged in rapid strategic contraction in an attempt to save money. Dozens of much-loved programmes are being withdrawn, especially those broadcast in the evenings and at weekends, in favour of syndicated regional content...
Cheese and Biscuits
YiQi, Chinatown
As any self-respecting 2024 London restaurant-goer knows, the trend in Asian cuisine is towards...
8 months ago
As any self-respecting 2024 London restaurant-goer knows, the trend in Asian cuisine is towards regional specification. You're not just Thai, you're Northern Thai/Isarn. You're either selling Tokyo ramen or Sapporo Miso or Kyoto-style Kaiseki. And if you're Chinese, are you...
diamond geezer
The news from Barking and Dagenham
Yesterday I went to the Becontree estate to take some photos of its churches. Then I added those...
6 months ago
Yesterday I went to the Becontree estate to take some photos of its churches. Then I added those photos to yesterday's post about churches on estates. I didn't add this photo, even though it was my favourite.
This is St Cedd's in Becontree. It has a lovely postwar copper roof...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama City
a year ago
Londonist
The No Trousers Tube Ride Returns To London This Weekend
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
12 months ago
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Fort Myers: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures
7 months ago
diamond geezer
25 things to see in SE25
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 25 (because N tops out at N22).
Come...
yesterday
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 25 (because N tops out at N22).
Come with me to South Norwood SE25.
25 things to see in SE25
1) See the Clock Tower
clock tower at the top of the High Street. It's a facsimile of Little Ben outside Victoria...
Spoon & Tamago
Pioneering Japan’s Zero-Energy Hospitality, ‘ITOMACHI HOTEL 0’
Ito-Machi, launched in 2020, is an urban development in Saijo, featuring a master plan by the...
11 months ago
Ito-Machi, launched in 2020, is an urban development in Saijo, featuring a master plan by the esteemed Kengo Kuma Laboratory at the University of Tokyo.
Related posts:
Stay in Artist Designed Hotel Rooms at the Park Hotel Tokyo
Hotel NUTS by Upsetters Architects
Kamikatsu in...
Londonist
Ayyy! The Fonz Is Coming To London In June
Happy days.
10 months ago
Londonist
Things To Do In London On New Year's Day 2024
The best events in London on 1 January.
a year ago
The best events in London on 1 January.
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.
Londonist
Stunning Light Trails And Illumination Festivals To See Near London This Winter
Absolutely enchanting evenings out in south-east England.
a year ago
Absolutely enchanting evenings out in south-east England.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 9-15 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Blogged September
30 blogged things I did in September
Fri 1: I've now been publishing my 'unblogged' posts for 5...
a year ago
30 blogged things I did in September
Fri 1: I've now been publishing my 'unblogged' posts for 5 years, i.e. I've done 60 of them, so to still be getting 50 comments on the latest one is quite something, thanks.
Sat 2: I broke the news that tube platform tickets were being...
Londonist
A Fantastically Festive Walk Through London's Christmas Lights And Decorations
A self-guided tour through lights, shop window displays, ice rinks and more.
a year ago
A self-guided tour through lights, shop window displays, ice rinks and more.
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
Londonist
What Is Old Oak Common? A Guide To The Future HS2 And Elizabeth Line Station
A site tour of London's new interchange.
a year ago
A site tour of London's new interchange.
Londonist
Where To Get Your Fill Of The Best Food And Drink In Islington
Marvellous macarons, superb sushi... and Karen's Diner.
9 months ago
Marvellous macarons, superb sushi... and Karen's Diner.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Eat, Drink, and Unwind in Virginia Beach
2 weeks ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Crocadon, Cornwall
Great restaurants often involve a great journey, and the journey to Crocadon, for everyone involved,...
a year ago
Great restaurants often involve a great journey, and the journey to Crocadon, for everyone involved, staff and guests, is greater than most. Dan Cox was head chef at Fera at Claridges when I last sampled his cooking, and although the restaurant eventually turned out to be a bit...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, a hotel in Bali, Indonesia
a year ago
diamond geezer
Not very interesting transport news
Friday's not very interesting transport news
The Overground lines still haven't been...
2 months 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...
Londonist
See London's Biggest Pie Chart
LSE's giant, mathematical mural.
a year ago
LSE's giant, mathematical mural.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 8-14 January 2024
All our best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
All our best articles from the past week.
Londonist
The Colony Room: Soho's Infamous Drinking Den is Back From The Dead... Sort Of
Drinks will be at 2008 prices too.
a year ago
Drinks will be at 2008 prices too.
One from Nippon
A peek into the world of Japan's electric rice cookers
It's been a while since our last post - life got in the way. A big thanks to everyone who reached...
a year ago
It's been a while since our last post - life got in the way. A big thanks to everyone who reached out!
We are now restarting our articles, though we might not always write once a week. If we don't think it's interesting, we
AFAR Media - Travel...
American Airlines’ Top Credit Card Offers 100K Mile Bonus
a year ago
diamond geezer
The Vyne
NATIONAL TRUST: The Vyne
Location: Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL [map]
Open: 10am-5pm...
6 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...
Londonist
Christmas In London 2023: A Guide To Festive Events, Food And Drink In The Capital This Winter
Top tips for spending Christmas in the capital.
a year ago
Top tips for spending Christmas in the capital.
Londonist
Concrete Beauty Of The National Theatre Captured In This Abstract Exhibition
Amelia Lancaster has been photographing it for over 20 years.
11 months ago
Amelia Lancaster has been photographing it for over 20 years.
diamond geezer
The Big London Airports Race
Nobody wants to read boring old text any more, the moving image is where it's at.
video and bringing...
8 months ago
Nobody wants to read boring old text any more, the moving image is where it's at.
video and bringing you my first thrilling dynamic transport content.
For those of you without playback capability, I've included a transcript below.
THE BIG LONDON AIRPORTS RACE
Scene - outside...
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Guide to Washington D.C. by Local Band Everyday Everybody
8 months ago
diamond geezer
I've been to see some art
I've been to see some art.
Tate Modern
Mire Lee: Open Wound (until 16 March)
metal motor hanging...
2 months ago
I've been to see some art.
Tate Modern
Mire Lee: Open Wound (until 16 March)
metal motor hanging in mid-air, slowly turning, over which are draped strips of fabric soaked in some manky viscous liquid. This drips gradually into a metal tray underneath, turning a series of...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 14-20 August 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Signs of autumn in Old Malden
I worry sometimes that my content isn't niche enough. Things on hills in Hainault. Ex-country lanes...
2 months ago
I worry sometimes that my content isn't niche enough. Things on hills in Hainault. Ex-country lanes in Harrow. Bridges in Norwich. So today I'm going all-out niche in an attempt to dampen interest even further. Welcome to...
Signs of Autumn in Old Malden
Malden, a manorial...
diamond geezer
Route 549
London's next dead bus
549: Loughton to South Woodford
Location: outer London/Essex
Length of...
4 months ago
London's next dead bus
549: Loughton to South Woodford
Location: outer London/Essex
Length of journey: 5 miles, 30 minutes
549, which dies tomorrow, is one of London's weirder bus routes. It was transferred to TfL control from Essex in 2003, hence the unusual opening digit. It...
Londonist
The Passion Of Jesus: Free Play Returns To Trafalgar Square On Good Friday 2024
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
9 months ago
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Esquelbecq Is Named France’s Favorite Village of 2023
a year ago
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Asheville’s French Broad River is a Must-Visit
11 months ago
diamond geezer
Six free exhibitions in north central London
Six free temporary exhibitions in north central London
(I'll rank these at the end, but the best...
4 weeks ago
Six free temporary exhibitions in north central London
(I'll rank these at the end, but the best one comes first)
Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds
at: RIBA, Portland Place
from: 10am to 5pm (not Sunday)
until: 29 March
cottage melded into a rocky Leicestershire...
AFAR Media - Travel...
New Resy Promo Will Give You $99 Off at These Restaurants
a year ago
diamond geezer
Unlocking QEOP
Ten years ago, when Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park fully opened, I showed you this graphic showing all...
9 months ago
Ten years ago, when Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park fully opened, I showed you this graphic showing all the pedestrian entrances into the park. It wasn't an official list, simply those I'd spotted, numbered in an anti-clockwise direction starting from Westfield.
greens were...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Best Fall Getaways: 3 American Cities You Must Visit
7 months ago
diamond geezer
The most/least popular journeys between tube stations
What's the most popular journey between tube stations?
an FOI request published yesterday. The...
6 months ago
What's the most popular journey between tube stations?
an FOI request published yesterday. The data is
a) for journeys in the calendar year 2023
We have had similar spreadsheets before, but this is the first
The most popular journey is from Liverpool Street to Tottenham...
diamond geezer
What if the world ended?
What if the world ended? It could happen.
var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 199) + 2100;...
10 months ago
What if the world ended? It could happen.
var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 199) + 2100; document.write(randno );. Or var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 49) + 2050; document.write(randno );. Perhaps var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 19) + 2030;...
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.
diamond geezer
London's most...
Superlative posts
I write a lot of posts about longest/shortest/highest/quickest/closest/first/last...
a year ago
Superlative posts
I write a lot of posts about longest/shortest/highest/quickest/closest/first/last things so I thought I'd try compiling a clickable list. It took a while because I've written over 10000 posts, and it's bound to be incomplete for the same reason. But here it is...
diamond geezer
Looking ahead to 2024
Looking ahead to 2024
Jan: Londoners ignore the New Year Parade; the popular blog diamond geezer...
a year ago
Looking ahead to 2024
Jan: Londoners ignore the New Year Parade; the popular blog diamond geezer publishes a New Year quiz but in the afternoon when regular readers aren't expecting it; this year's Apprentice candidates are grating smug muppets
Feb: new London bus routes include...
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...
Londonist
See Dozens Of Tube Sketches At Barbican Library
Martin Church's vibrant portraits in free exhibition.
11 months ago
Martin Church's vibrant portraits in free exhibition.
Londonist
We Talk To John Rogers, Filmmaker And Author Of Welcome To New London
A true London legend.
a year ago
Londonist
Literary Footprints 2024: Walking Tours Around Literary London
Love books? Love London? Love this.
11 months ago
Love books? Love London? Love this.
Herbert Lui
Deliberate play
When I was a child, my parents enlisted me in piano class for the better half of a decade. Those...
a week ago
When I was a child, my parents enlisted me in piano class for the better half of a decade. Those were long years. Every day, I was tasked with practicing two or three songs six times. During exam season, I would need to practice my exam songs ten times perfectly—which meant that...
diamond geezer
Unblogged September
30 unblogged things I did in September
Sun 1: My new laptop is on quite the sightseeing tour....
3 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in September
Sun 1: My new laptop is on quite the sightseeing tour. Yesterday it was in Shanghai, today it's in Köln and tomorrow it'll be in Stanford le Hope.
Mon 2: At Gipsy Hill station I spotted a cat on the Oyster reader, and quite frankly this...
Spoon & Tamago
Uenosuke Shitanosuke: Twin Tumblers that Fit Perfectly Together
For all the preaching on the health benefits of drinking more water, very few tools help us actually...
a year ago
For all the preaching on the health benefits of drinking more water, very few tools help us actually achieve this. So when Taro Mukasa, an illustrator and toy designer at creative agency Zariganiworks came across a manga panel in which the protagonist declares that his hobby is...
diamond geezer
Mansfield Park
Some buses terminate at the most evocative literary destinations.
K4 to Mansfield Park
Location:...
2 weeks 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...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 6-7 April 2024
Last-chance exhibitions, an ice hockey weekender, and a miniature railway.
9 months ago
Last-chance exhibitions, an ice hockey weekender, and a miniature railway.
Londonist
In Pictures: Pollock's Toy Museum Relaunches In Croydon
Whitgift Centre pop-up is utterly delightful.
11 months ago
Whitgift Centre pop-up is utterly delightful.
Londonist
'Stand Against Suella' Protest Takes Place In Central London On Sunday
LGBTQ groups rally against dehumanising rhetoric.
a year ago
LGBTQ groups rally against dehumanising rhetoric.
diamond geezer
2025
-->2025 is special because 2025 is a square number.
45 × 45 = 452 = 2025
The last was 1936 (= 44...
2 days ago
-->2025 is special because 2025 is a square number.
45 × 45 = 452 = 2025
The last was 1936 (= 44 × 44), and you'd have to be over 88 to be alive back then.
2025 is extra-special, as square numbers go, because 20 + 25 = 45.
2025 = (20 + 25)2
(1+2+3+ ... +8+9)2 = 452 = 2025...
Herbert Lui
Every dollar you save is a coupon on the next thing you buy
Retailers often offer incentives to encourage customers to buy more stuff. This can look like buy...
2 weeks ago
Retailers often offer incentives to encourage customers to buy more stuff. This can look like buy two get one free, buy one get one 50% off, flash sales, and free shipping thresholds. Most of these mechanisms are designed to short circuit your brain. They work against clear...
diamond geezer
Climbing Campden Hill
A Nice Walk: Campden Hill (¾ mile)
Campden Hill, a full 42 metres above sea level. Here it is on a...
3 months ago
A Nice Walk: Campden Hill (¾ mile)
Campden Hill, a full 42 metres above sea level. Here it is on a topographic map, a raw bruise to the east of Holland Park, entirely untroubled by public transport. [1872 map] [2024 map]
Campden Hill rises to the south of Notting Hill Gate,...
Londonist
10 Big Shows To Book For 2024
It's a good time to be a Studio Ghibli fan.
a year ago
It's a good time to be a Studio Ghibli fan.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Kayak, Hike, and Bike in Off-Season Virginia Beach
2 weeks 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.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 12-18 February 2024
Copycat tube stations, odd benches and SIX new lines on the tube map.
10 months ago
Copycat tube stations, odd benches and SIX new lines on the tube map.
Londonist
Buck's Fizz: How The Perennially Festive Drink Was Invented In A Mayfair Club
It's over 100 years old.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Renaming the Overground, step by step
The introduction of the six new London Overground names is finally, tangibly, underway. But the...
a month ago
The introduction of the six new London Overground names is finally, tangibly, underway. But the changes are being phased in, as befits a seriously complex operation, with some happening now, some delayed until next month or next year, and some kicked far into the future because...
diamond geezer
Lavenham
Day out: Lavenham
well off the beaten track - roughly west of Ipswich and south of Bury St Edmunds....
a year ago
Day out: Lavenham
well off the beaten track - roughly west of Ipswich and south of Bury St Edmunds. But 500 years ago Lavenham was one of the wealthiest towns in the country thanks to all the money to be made from sheep, specifically the dyeing, spinning and weaving of woollen...
diamond geezer
Random borough 2
Twenty years ago today I brought you my very first Random Borough report from the London borough of...
9 months ago
Twenty years ago today I brought you my very first Random Borough report from the London borough of Merton. But it was fairly brief - most of my posts were back then - so two decades on I'm having another go to do Merton justice. Yesterday somewhere sporty and somewhere pretty,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Guide to Budapest’s Historic Thermal Baths and Spas
a year ago
diamond geezer
merry = 𝑥 - mas
We have the best signwriters at Bow Road station.
merry = 𝑥-mas
4 weeks ago
We have the best signwriters at Bow Road station.
merry = 𝑥-mas
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel to Costal Germany's Historical UNESCO Sites
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Sadiq's third manifesto
Sadiq's manifesto has finally been published so let's take a look (mainly so there's a blogpost to...
8 months ago
Sadiq's manifesto has finally been published so let's take a look (mainly so there's a blogpost to check at the end of his term in 2028).
Title: A fairer, safer, greener London for everyone
Pages: 67
Top 10 pledges
1) Free school meals
2) Freeze TfL fares
3) 40,000 new...
diamond geezer
completely screwed at the moment
I was on the Central line the other day and there was a 15 minute gap between trains. You might...
10 months ago
I was on the Central line the other day and there was a 15 minute gap between trains. You might expect this kind of thing at the extremities or late at night, but not at Bethnal Green mid-morning. "Sorry, we're going to be held here for 5 minutes," said the driver. "This is due...
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...
3 weeks 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
Tumi-Isi Wooden Stacking Rocks
Designed by Nara-based design studio A4, tumi-isi (積み石; ‘stacking stones’ in Japanese) are a set of...
a year ago
Designed by Nara-based design studio A4, tumi-isi (積み石; ‘stacking stones’ in Japanese) are a set of 5 blocks individually hand bevelled into asymmetrical shapes by local artisans. No two sets are identical. These tactile objects are meant to nourish your sense of balance and...
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.
diamond geezer
2024 fares
TfL's annual fare rise was announced last yesterday. And it's no fare rise at all.
"The Mayor of...
11 months ago
TfL's annual fare rise was announced last yesterday. And it's no fare rise at all.
"The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced bold action to freeze TfL fares this year, to support Londoners struggling with the cost of living and London’s recovery from the pandemic....
diamond geezer
Electric 358
A new bus has started running on route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington. They call it the...
a month ago
A new bus has started running on route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington. They call it the tram bus.
It's not really a tram, it's "a bus with tram styling" according to the manufacturers, Spanish company Irizar. They make two lengths of vehicle and to be fair the 18m...
Londonist
International Women's Day And Women's History Month 2024 Events In London
Guided walks, talks, exhibitions and more - all celebrating women.
10 months ago
Guided walks, talks, exhibitions and more - all celebrating women.
Londonist
Croydon Plans Spectacular Mic Drop For Borough Of Culture Closing Weekend
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
9 months ago
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
diamond geezer
I wish it could be every day
I wish it could be Christmas Eve every day
• Shopping would always be madness.
• No more Countdown...
a year ago
I wish it could be Christmas Eve every day
• Shopping would always be madness.
• No more Countdown on C4, just endless reruns of The Snowman.
• You'd forever be wrapping presents but not opening them.
• You'd soon run out of sellotape.
• Christmas jumpers would no longer be a...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 21-27 August 2023
EVERY brewery taproom, a view higher than the Shard, and NFL in London.
a year ago
EVERY brewery taproom, a view higher than the Shard, and NFL in London.
Londonist
12 Predictions For London In 2024
What can we expect from the next 12 months?
a year ago
What can we expect from the next 12 months?
diamond geezer
Just hanging around
25% of the 13 minute journey from Whitechapel to Paddington is spent not moving.
I tweeted this...
a year ago
25% of the 13 minute journey from Whitechapel to Paddington is spent not moving.
I tweeted this on Thursday, and it currently has 616 likes.
» Glad it’s not just me that’s noticed abnormally long dwell times. Very annoying!
» The padding is incredible
» God forbid a public...
diamond geezer
346
Last Saturday one bus route on the edge of east London disappeared and another quadrupled in length....
9 months ago
Last Saturday one bus route on the edge of east London disappeared and another quadrupled in length. I didn't fancy spending my birthday in Upminster so left it a few days before taking a ride on the end result.
• The 346 used to be one of London's shortest bus routes, a brief...
Londonist
London's St Patrick's Day Parade And Festival 2024: When, Where And How To Get Involved
Dust off your shamrock sunglasses and head for Trafalgar Square this March.
10 months ago
Dust off your shamrock sunglasses and head for Trafalgar Square this March.
diamond geezer
Route 59
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles,...
9 months ago
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles, 55 minutes
It's traditional around every birthday that I take a numerically significant bus journey. Seventeen years ago I took the 42 to Dulwich, then subsequently the 43 to...
diamond geezer
Except Islington
Sorry, that was two Tower Hamlets posts in a row.
Harrow
BarnetEnfieldHaringeyWaltham...
a year ago
Sorry, that was two Tower Hamlets posts in a row.
Harrow
BarnetEnfieldHaringeyWaltham ForestRedbridgeHavering
Hillingdon
Ealing
BrentCamdenIslingtonHackneyBarking &
Dagenham
Hounslow
H'smith &
FulhamKensington
&...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Soon, TSA Security Screenings Will Be Self-Service
a year ago
diamond geezer
Route 168
London's next dead bus
168: Old Kent Road Tesco to Hampstead Heath
Location: inner London
Length of...
a year ago
London's next dead bus
168: Old Kent Road Tesco to Hampstead Heath
Location: inner London
Length of journey: 7 miles, 65 minutes
The 168 has been chugging up to Hampstead Heath since 1986, initially from Waterloo, then from Elephant & Castle and most recently from the Old Kent...
Londonist
"We're Bringing Migrant Voices To The London Stage"
Foreign Affairs harnesses the power of translation.
a year ago
Foreign Affairs harnesses the power of translation.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate St Patrick's Day 2024 In London
Parties, parades and other craic on and around 17 March.
10 months ago
Parties, parades and other craic on and around 17 March.
diamond geezer
Energen Close
While I was in Willesden, round the back of Taylors Lane Power Station, I came across this...
8 months ago
While I was in Willesden, round the back of Taylors Lane Power Station, I came across this oddly-named cul-de-sac. That's an odd name for a cul-de-sac, I thought. Why was Energen Close named after a private company?
Powergen, not Energen, although they were founded in 1989 so...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 4-10 December 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Christmas Eve 2023
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
a year ago
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
Londonist
London Gets A New Station As Brent Cross West Opens
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
a year ago
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
Londonist
The BT Tower Is Becoming A Hotel
Iconic building sold for £275m.
10 months ago
Iconic building sold for £275m.
diamond geezer
S2
This is the S2, a bus which ran between Clapton and my neck of the woods between 1970 and 2008, back...
10 months ago
This is the S2, a bus which ran between Clapton and my neck of the woods between 1970 and 2008, back when 'S' meant Stratford.
It now means Sutton, there already being an S1, S3 and S4 threading across the borough, but it's taken until 2024 for the gap to be filled with an...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 14-20 August 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Regent's Park Is Getting A New Garden Dedicated To The Late Queen
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
12 months ago
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
Londonist
Around London In 11 Fish
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
11 months ago
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
Londonist
A Christmas Carol - London Locations Mapped
Book and film locations - and plenty more!
a year ago
Book and film locations - and plenty 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...
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London In November 2023
David Hockney, Antony Gormley and some strange creatures.
a year ago
David Hockney, Antony Gormley and some strange creatures.
Londonist
Get 2-For-1 Tickets To This Cracker Of A Christmas Fair
Timeless festive cheer, guaranteed.
a year ago
Timeless festive cheer, guaranteed.
diamond geezer
Wealdstone and Whetstone
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the...
a year ago
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the road. Let's visit both.
The Weald Stone, Wealdstone
What? The Weald Stone is a humpy lump of sarsen stone approximately the same length as a sleeping human.
Where? Not in the centre...
Londonist
The Great Exhibition Road Festival Returns This June
One street, hundreds of free events.
9 months ago
One street, hundreds of free events.
diamond geezer
The suddenest bank holidays
Had England won the Euros, our new PM said "we should certainly mark the occasion". He stopped short...
5 months ago
Had England won the Euros, our new PM said "we should certainly mark the occasion". He stopped short of confirming there'd be a bank holiday saying he didn't want to "jinx it", but an extra day off work was always a possibility. It didn't happen because Spain scored more goals...
Londonist
You Can Play With This Miniature Tube Train At Hounslow West Underground Station
There's no way you're not pressing that button.
a year ago
There's no way you're not pressing that button.
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
Festival of Railway Modelling Returns To Alexandra Palace
Hundreds of mini trains steam into town.
10 months ago
Hundreds of mini trains steam into town.
Herbert Lui
Some notes on a return visit to Hong Kong
In late 2021, I moved to Hong Kong for six months. My partner and I enjoyed it so much that we ended...
a month ago
In late 2021, I moved to Hong Kong for six months. My partner and I enjoyed it so much that we ended up staying nearly a year and a half. We moved to New York City shortly after that, and I started my job at Figma. I always thought I’d document the trip some other […]
The post...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Learn About Jewish History in Germany
7 months ago
Londonist
Things To Do In London In Half Term: October 2023
Family-friendly school holiday activities for all budgets.
a year ago
Family-friendly school holiday activities for all budgets.
diamond geezer
Hinchley Wood
One Stop Beyond: Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood, one stop beyond Surbiton on the New Guildford...
4 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood, one stop beyond Surbiton on the New Guildford line.
unsung fields to the east of Esher, officially in the parish of Thames Ditton, sliced through by a non-stopping railway. What changed things was the arrival of the Kingston Bypass...
Londonist
Conkers In London: Where To Find Them, Where To Play
Our hard-hitting guide.
a year ago
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,...
a year 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...
diamond geezer
Secret river quiz
Congratulations, you've found my secret river quiz.
(completed in seven hours, thanks)
2 months ago
Congratulations, you've found my secret river quiz.
(completed in seven hours, thanks)
diamond geezer
Hidden Overground Histories
Hidden Overground Histories
“There are so many fascinating, and often forgotten, stories from our...
10 months ago
Hidden Overground Histories
“There are so many fascinating, and often forgotten, stories from our city that should be told and remembered. Naming the lines will not only help educate visitors about our amazing city and its incredible history but will also make it easier for...
diamond geezer
Unblogged 1984
30 unblogged things I did in September 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago,...
3 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in September 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago, indeed my Sinclair ZX81 wasn't capable of much, but here are 30 things I didn't digitally publish at the time. To help you get your bearings I was 19 and most of this is the end...
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...
diamond geezer
Euros final liveblog
Euros final liveblog 🏴🇪🇸
19:00 Only an hour to go.
19:10 I'm having steak and ale...
5 months ago
Euros final liveblog 🏴🇪🇸
19:00 Only an hour to go.
19:10 I'm having steak and ale pie.
20:00 Kick-off. The score is nil nil.
20:48 Off for oranges at half time.
21:05 Back.
21:06 Goal 😢
21:32 Goal 😀
21:46 Goal 😢
21:54 ENGLAND HAVE COME SECOND!
21:55 I'm sure...
Londonist
Review: V&A Shows Tropical Modernism Was So Much More Than An Architectural Movement
Politics, people, environment - all rolled into beautiful buildings.
10 months ago
Politics, people, environment - all rolled into beautiful buildings.
Cheese and Biscuits
Manifest, Liverpool
Some restaurants just make it all look so easy. From the moment you walk into the room to the moment...
over a year ago
Some restaurants just make it all look so easy. From the moment you walk into the room to the moment you pay up and leave, everything about the experience at Manifest is just so effortlessly polished, professional and enjoyable, and pitched at such reasonable prices, that it's...
Londonist
Cricket Cornish Pasty Anyone? London's Bug Restaurant Has Just Gone Permanent
Hop to it!
10 months ago
Full Width 
Shortcuts 
Sign Up 
Log In 
Articles 
Reading List 