diamond geezer
Basingstoke
Gadabout: BASINGSTOKE
Basingstoke is a large town in north Hampshire, roughly halfway along the M3...
6 months ago
Gadabout: BASINGSTOKE
Basingstoke is a large town in north Hampshire, roughly halfway along the M3 motorway. It's simultaneously ancient and modern, a traditional market town selected by the London County Council for substantial postwar expansion which saw its population increase...
Londonist
How To Spend A (Relatively Cheap) Weekend In Florence
We did say relatively.
a year ago
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London In September 2023
A crystal dinner and chic couture in this month's top shows to see in London.
a year ago
A crystal dinner and chic couture in this month's top shows to see in London.
Londonist
5 Historic Castles To Visit In Essex
Including one that's a fake.
9 months ago
Including one that's a fake.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Fort Myers: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures
7 months ago
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 →...
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Nessa, Soho
Looking over the confidently international menu at Nessa the other evening, it occurred to me that...
a year ago
Looking over the confidently international menu at Nessa the other evening, it occurred to me that it's been a while since I've had a moan about anywhere being 'inauthentic'. For all the years that we British were insecure about our place in the culinary world, and those years...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Eight Must-See Places and Women-Owned Businesses in Kansas City
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Boxing Day 2023
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
a year ago
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week
Often around this time of year I go totally tubular with a week devoted to the London Underground -...
a year ago
Often around this time of year I go totally tubular with a week devoted to the London Underground - five days of quizzes, quirks, commentary and obscure statistics. Well not this year.
I should warn you that I haven't actually ridden the cablecar while researching these fifteen...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 9-15 October 2023
Live music, a Superpower Academy and a free games night - all under a fiver.
a year ago
Live music, a Superpower Academy and a free games night - all under a fiver.
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Metropolitan Line
The world's first underground railway.
a year ago
The world's first underground railway.
Londonist
45+ Fantastic Things To Do In London This Month: November 2023
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
a year ago
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
diamond geezer
Open House (3)
For Open House this weekend I visited twelve different and varied properties, ranging from...
3 months ago
For Open House this weekend I visited twelve different and varied properties, ranging from underwhelm to amazeballs. I'll save the wow until later but here are brief reports on the others, hopefully as testament that exploring otherwise inaccessible spaces is an opportunity not...
Londonist
The BT Tower Is Becoming A Hotel
Iconic building sold for £275m.
10 months ago
Iconic building sold for £275m.
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Get Tickets for Outstanding in the Field Dinners
a year ago
Londonist
Conkers In London: Where To Find Them, Where To Play
Our hard-hitting guide.
a year ago
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama City
a year ago
The Forney Flyer
Nineteen Years of Joy, and Counting!
Nineteen years ago today, I married my best friend, Joy.
One year later our first child was...
over a year ago
Nineteen years ago today, I married my best friend, Joy.
One year later our first child was born...
... and well before his first birthday, we were commissioned by our church to head to the mission field. That was 17 years ago, and we've spent the vast majority of our...
Londonist
Festive Shows, Winter Cocktails, And Gifts Galore At The Barbican
So much seasonal cheer to unwrap.
a year ago
So much seasonal cheer to unwrap.
Londonist
Things To Do In London On New Year's Eve
31 December events and parties in London.
a year ago
31 December events and parties in London.
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Things to Know Before Seeing a Broadway Show in New York City
a year ago
Londonist
Santa's Grottos 2023: Where To Meet Father Christmas In London This Year
The man in red is popping up all over town.
a year ago
The man in red is popping up all over town.
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
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.
Cheese and Biscuits
Tuétano Taqueria, San Diego
On the shortest day of the year, in the middle of the gloomiest and wettest of England's gloom and...
a week ago
On the shortest day of the year, in the middle of the gloomiest and wettest of England's gloom and wet, I thought it might be fun to review a taco shop in southern California, because it's days like this you need to remind yourself that there are places in the world where the sun...
Spoon & Tamago
New Rent-Free Apartments Aspire to Support Budding Manga Artists
a rendering of Manga Apartment VUY, for which occupancy will begin in March 2025 For many years, a...
5 months ago
a rendering of Manga Apartment VUY, for which occupancy will begin in March 2025 For many years, a model has existed in Japan in which subsidized housing supports manga artists who are early in their career and have not yet established an audience. One of the earliest was the...
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Silver Birch, Chiswick
It's a pleasant novelty to, for once, not be opening a post about an excellent neighbourhood...
a year ago
It's a pleasant novelty to, for once, not be opening a post about an excellent neighbourhood restaurant without a resigned grump about the lack of such places in my own particular neighbourhood. Until recently, my fellow SW11 residents had very little to be proud of (and even...
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...
Londonist
16 Spring Day Trips From London: April 2024
Steam trains, flower festivals and a mysterious grotto.
9 months ago
Steam trains, flower festivals and a mysterious grotto.
Spoon & Tamago
Demographics Professor Warns that by 2531, Everyone in Japan Will be Named Sato
image courtesy Mainichi Shimbun Despite today’s date, this is not an April Fool’s prank. At a press...
9 months ago
image courtesy Mainichi Shimbun Despite today’s date, this is not an April Fool’s prank. At a press conference in Tokyo last weekend, professor Hiroshi Yoshida from the Tohoku University Research Center for Aged Economy and Society, sounded the alarm bell for a looming crisis. By...
Spoon & Tamago
An Architect Collaborated with 7 Renowned Artisans to Create this Stunning Home
All images © Koji Fujii / TOREAL courtesy Cubo Design Architect “We believe houses that are rooted...
a year ago
All images © Koji Fujii / TOREAL courtesy Cubo Design Architect “We believe houses that are rooted in an understanding of Japan’s cultural context and a respect for the skills and innovations of our ancestors, which can nevertheless be passed onto future generations, are the kind...
diamond geezer
Brookside Close
London's Soap Streets
Albert Square E15 and Albert Square SW8.
Coronation Street but the capital...
a year ago
London's Soap Streets
Albert Square E15 and Albert Square SW8.
Coronation Street but the capital doesn't have one.
Come with me to the borderlands between South Ruislip and South Harrow...
Brookside Close HA2
namesake cul-de-sac can be found beside the big roundabout on...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 25 September-1 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Best Places to Shop and Eat In Los Angeles
10 months ago
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...
Londonist
Captain Zip's Amazing Film Footage Of London Punks In The 1970s And 80s
They even visit Downing Street.
a year ago
They even visit Downing Street.
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
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 24-25 February 2024
A Saltburn ball, a Spider-Man concert, and a mystery movie marathon.
10 months ago
A Saltburn ball, a Spider-Man concert, and a mystery movie marathon.
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...
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...
Londonist
What's Open In London On Christmas Day 2023?
Cafes, pubs and tourist attractions open on 25 December.
a year ago
Cafes, pubs and tourist attractions open on 25 December.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel by Sea With Luxury, Sustainability, and Adventure
3 months ago
diamond geezer
2024 anniversary quiz
2024 anniversary quiz
a) launched Jan 1999 (25 years): no marks
b) contracted Jan 1974 (50 years):...
a year ago
2024 anniversary quiz
a) launched Jan 1999 (25 years): no marks
b) contracted Jan 1974 (50 years): two days fewer
c) appointed Jan 1924 (100 years): induced Labour
d) heard Jan 1924 (100 years): Dogger Fisher
e) died Jan 1924 (100 years): Union leader
f) launched Jan 1924 (100...
Londonist
April And May Tube Strikes Called Off
No tube strike next Monday after all.
9 months ago
No tube strike next Monday after all.
diamond geezer
10,000 clicks
Yesterday Google sent me an email.
Congratulations! Your site reached 10K clicks from Google Search...
a year ago
Yesterday Google sent me an email.
Congratulations! Your site reached 10K clicks from Google Search in the past 28 days.
This is because several people still turn up at diamond geezer via search engines rather than visiting deliberately - apparently over 300 people daily. They...
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.
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...
diamond geezer
Non-London universities in London
London contains a lot of non-London universities.
This building is part of Buckinghamshire New...
11 months ago
London contains a lot of non-London universities.
This building is part of Buckinghamshire New University, which is neither new nor in Buckinghamshire.
wrong side of the river Colne. Admittedly the boundary's less than 200 metres away but this side of the river has always...
Londonist
Part Of The Piccadilly Line Is Closing For 5 Days This Month
Heathrow will be off the cards.
11 months ago
Heathrow will be off the cards.
Cheese and Biscuits
Baudry Greene, Covent Garden
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to...
7 months ago
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to launch one good restaurant, you're more than likely to be able to make a good go of a second. And then a third, and so on. Well, up to a point. You don't want to spread yourself...
Londonist
London Hotel Rooms With A Serious View
Penthouse suites, balconies, and the city spread at your feet.
a year ago
Penthouse suites, balconies, and the city spread at your feet.
diamond geezer
Liverpool Street
LIVERPOOL
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
LIVERPOOL STREET STATION
Group:...
a month ago
LIVERPOOL
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
LIVERPOOL STREET STATION
Group: British Railways
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £25
Annual passengers: 95 million
Borough: City of London
Postcode: EC2
busiest station in the UK, a great contrast to mere Marylebone and...
Londonist
A Map Of London Nicknames: From The Gherkin To The Silicon Roundabout
What would you add to the map?
a year ago
What would you add to the map?
diamond geezer
Tuesday transport news
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Tuesday.
The Main...
a year ago
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Tuesday.
The Main Drag
acton mail line. What's more they'd made this spelling error previously in spring 2021 and now they'd made it again in autumn 2023. It wasn't clever. We may have giggled.
acton...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 13-14 January 2024
Circus, comedy, drag, live music and more.
12 months ago
Circus, comedy, drag, live music and more.
Londonist
Literary Footprints 2024: Walking Tours Around Literary London
Love books? Love London? Love this.
11 months ago
Love books? Love London? Love this.
diamond geezer
Unblogged January
31 unblogged things I did in January
Mon 1: I watched the New Year fireworks from the western edge...
11 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in January
Mon 1: I watched the New Year fireworks from the western edge of Canary Wharf, and they were a bit small and the Shard got in the way but at least I celebrated midnight at the right time, rather than slightly delayed on the telly.
Tue 2:...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Turkish Airlines Launches New Flights to Istanbul From Detroit
a year ago
Londonist
In Pictures: Vintage London Palladium Programmes
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
a year ago
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
diamond geezer
Sullivanlessness
London's only independent bus operator threw in the towel on Friday, withdrawing their services from...
5 months ago
London's only independent bus operator threw in the towel on Friday, withdrawing their services from eleven routes in north London. Sullivan Buses have operated out of South Mimms since 1998 and will continue to run their Herts-based services as usual. But boss Dean Sullivan has...
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...
Londonist
Pollock's Toy Museum Is Reopening... In Croydon
Six month pop-up arrives this January.
12 months ago
Six month pop-up arrives this January.
Londonist
Goodbye Glory, Hello Divine - East London's New-Not-New LGBTQ+ Club
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
11 months ago
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
Londonist
Kong And Godzilla Appear By/In The Thames For Epic Selfie Op!
They're only here till tonight.
9 months ago
They're only here till tonight.
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of the Inn at Mattei's Tavern in Los Olivos, California
a year ago
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.
Spoon & Tamago
The New Simose Art Garden Villa: Where Art & Hospitality Meet at the Sea
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the...
a year ago
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima is the Simose Art Garden Villa. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban (previously), the newly opened destination comprises ten villas, a...
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 177
Bus Route Of The Day
177: Peckham to Thamesmead
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 12...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
177: Peckham to Thamesmead
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 12 miles, 75 minutes
Because it's 17th July I've been out riding the 177, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. There are more glamorous ways to travel.
177 is your friend, and...
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.
Londonist
It's Official - London Has Two Of The World's 10 Best Bars
But Barcelona's still the best place to booze.
a year ago
But Barcelona's still the best place to booze.
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Attractions in California Travelers Should Know About
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Bourneview
London has eight public footpath level crossings, and today I'm going to walk you across another of...
8 months ago
London has eight public footpath level crossings, and today I'm going to walk you across another of them.
Bourneview (CR8 5AD)
Kenley in the London borough of Croydon, a couple of miles southeast of Purley. Two railway lines wend down this dry chalk valley but we want the line...
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.
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...
Londonist
TfL Is Closing Five Tube Lines This Weekend
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
a year ago
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
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.
Londonist
Londonist: Time Machine Opens Its Archive For Easter
"It's so damned good!"
9 months ago
Londonist
Santa Steam Express: Meet Father Christmas On A Vintage Train In London
The kids will be chuffed.
a year ago
The kids will be chuffed.
Cheese and Biscuits
Jeune & Jolie, Carlsbad
To a visitor from lands afar (me) who sees this part of the world in little two-week periods twice a...
a month ago
To a visitor from lands afar (me) who sees this part of the world in little two-week periods twice a year, Jeune & Jolie feels like it did all the work of establishing itself as one of the best restaurants in California in a metaphorical blink of an eye, a few short months...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 20-26 November 2023
All our best articles from the past week.
a year ago
All our best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Support Great Ormond Street Hospital - By Climbing The Walkie Talkie!
Up for a challenge?
11 months ago
Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Euston Station's Great Hall
It would've been 175 years old this year... if it hadn't been reduced to rubble.
11 months ago
It would've been 175 years old this year... if it hadn't been reduced to rubble.
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.
Cheese and Biscuits
Crispin at Studio Voltaire, Clapham Common
Although my useless photos hardly do it justice (let's just get that out of the way from the start),...
2 weeks ago
Although my useless photos hardly do it justice (let's just get that out of the way from the start), Crispin at Studio Voltaire is a lovely space to eat in. The candles on each table aren't the only source of light, but provide a romantic accessory to the tealights dangling above...
Londonist
Dazzling Light Festivals To See In London: Winter 2023
Light tunnels, fire gardens and lasers.
a year ago
Light tunnels, fire gardens and lasers.
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
Unblogged October
31 unblogged things I did in October
Sun 1: If you're putting together a 'Joyridden Cars Smashed...
a year ago
31 unblogged things I did in October
Sun 1: If you're putting together a 'Joyridden Cars Smashed Into Bus Shelters' Calendar, this is the ideal photo for November.
Mon 2: I've been enjoying the podcast Uncharted with Hannah Fry in which the BBC's go-to mathematician tells...
diamond geezer
Unblogged March (true)
31 unblogged things I did in March (true version)
Fri 1: I can't believe another constituency has...
9 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in March (true version)
Fri 1: I can't believe another constituency has elected George Galloway as its MP (actually I can, mine once did, because politics repeatedly proves you can fool enough of the people some of the time).
Sat 2: Yes I watched the...
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
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
Eden Dock
You know how when you come out of Canary Wharf tube station, main entrance, there's always been a...
3 months ago
You know how when you come out of Canary Wharf tube station, main entrance, there's always been a big empty dock in front of you? Well, not any more.
yesterday and is really very impressive. So long as you don't read anything about it.
island. Unsurprisingly it's already...
Londonist
Ayyy! The Fonz Is Coming To London In June
Happy days.
10 months ago
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
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...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Trip Ideas Around the World for Adventurous Travelers
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
United Airlines Credit Cards Increase Sign-Up Bonuses
a year ago
diamond geezer
Unblogged 1984
31 unblogged things I did in December 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago,...
2 weeks ago
31 unblogged things I did in December 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago, indeed my Sinclair ZX81 wasn't capable of much, but here are 31 things I didn't digitally publish at the time. To help you get your bearings I was 19 and December featured one week...
Londonist
See Alan Turing... The Musical!
Riverside Studios celebrates the great genius.
a year ago
Riverside Studios celebrates the great genius.
diamond geezer
B2024
This is the road of the year, the B2024.
There was once an A2024 heading east out of Chichester,...
12 months ago
This is the road of the year, the B2024.
There was once an A2024 heading east out of Chichester, but a WW2 airfield severed that so the B2024 is now all we have.
It kicks off in the middle of Westerham, a proper Wealden town with a coaching inn, tea rooms and a historic high...
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...
Londonist
Buy London-Themed Stocking Fillers, Secret Santa Pressies And More In Londonist's Online Shop!
Truly unique gifts designed by yours truly.
a year ago
Truly unique gifts designed by yours truly.
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...
Londonist
Live Music, Lederhosen, And Lashings Of Beer At London Oktoberfest
Time to let loose, Bavarian-style.
a year ago
Time to let loose, Bavarian-style.
Londonist
5 Amazing Places To Eat Asian Food In Central London
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
10 months ago
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Dublin
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
a year ago
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
diamond geezer
Open House wrap-up
Let's finish this for another year.
Open House: The Rowe (Aldgate) The Unoccupied One
located...
a year ago
Let's finish this for another year.
Open House: The Rowe (Aldgate) The Unoccupied One
located immediately opposite the Whitechapel Gallery and is a repurposing of the former Cass School of Art and Architecture into a modern office block. The overall idea behind the rebuild was...
Londonist
An Airport In Hyde Park? It Could Have Happened
1920s proposal envisaged a VERY central aerodrome.
a year ago
1920s proposal envisaged a VERY central aerodrome.
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.
Londonist
Non ULEZ Compliant Car? TfL Wants You To Give It To Ukraine
Help Ukraine, the environment - and get paid!
9 months ago
Help Ukraine, the environment - and get paid!
Londonist
Artist Will Lie On Tower Bridge's Glass Walkway All Day This Saturday
Thought-provoking work from Anahita Harding.
9 months ago
Thought-provoking work from Anahita Harding.
diamond geezer
Whitechapel Road
WHITECHAPEL
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
WHITECHAPEL ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase...
11 months ago
WHITECHAPEL
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
WHITECHAPEL ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase price: £60
Rent: £4
Length: 1 kilometre
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Postcodes: E1
Whitechapel Road would be the first square. Instead it's the second brown, the more expensive of the...
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
Hunstanton
Seaside postcard: Hunstanton
Hunstanton is a seaside town at the northwest tip of Norfolk and...
5 months ago
Seaside postcard: Hunstanton
Hunstanton is a seaside town at the northwest tip of Norfolk and reputedly the only resort on the East Coast that faces west. It's like Great Yarmouth in that it boasts amusements, tattoos and chippies, but also smaller, newer, remoter, genteeler,...
Londonist
"There's A Mullet For Everyone" - How The Marmite Hairstyle Conquered Queer, Creative London
What gave rise to the mullet in London's hippest circles?
10 months ago
What gave rise to the mullet in London's hippest circles?
The Forney Flyer
From the Flight Line
Here's some random shots from the flight line. First, one of our Cessna 208B Grand Caravans taking...
over a year ago
Here's some random shots from the flight line. First, one of our Cessna 208B Grand Caravans taking off from our home airstrip in Kajjansi, Uganda. This aircraft is now serving in Liberia.
I've always loved watching the sky and the weather. Last week I was out of the city and...
diamond geezer
Inner monologue
Hello to all of you who, like me, live by yourself. Not for us the chance of a friendly chat over...
10 months ago
Hello to all of you who, like me, live by yourself. Not for us the chance of a friendly chat over breakfast, nor a natter in the bedroom, nor an entire evening sitting in front of the TV offering a running commentary on everything you watch. Our inner monologue stays private,...
Londonist
HMV Is Reopening Its Iconic Oxford Street Store... Again
Music store returns for Christmas.
a year ago
Music store returns for Christmas.
diamond geezer
Pig Farm Alley
Underwhelming London: Pig Farm Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Farm Alley is a long straight path, off...
3 months ago
Underwhelming London: Pig Farm Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Farm Alley is a long straight path, off limits to traffic, in the London borough of Sutton. It runs from Trafalgar Avenue, off Stonecot Hill, to an edgeland nomansland by the Lower Morden Equestrian Centre. It's about a...
diamond geezer
Bus of the day - 146
Bus Route Of The Day
146: Bromley North to Downe
Location: Outer London south
Length of journey: 6...
6 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
146: Bromley North to Downe
Location: Outer London south
Length of journey: 6 miles, 25 minutes
Because it's 14th June I've been out riding the 146, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day.
The 146 is one of TfL's handful of hourly buses, and by far the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Vacation to Corpus Christi, TX in the Fall
6 months ago
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...
diamond geezer
Theobalds Grove
One Stop Beyond: Theobalds Grove
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
4 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Theobalds Grove
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 Theobalds Grove, one stop beyond Turkey Street on the Southbury Loop, better known these days as the Weaver...
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
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Artistic Side of Aspen: A Guide for Culture Lovers
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Gridmaps
London in 1
Charing
Cross
London in 2
Westminster
City
London in...
a year ago
London in 1
Charing
Cross
London in 2
Westminster
City
London in 3
Westfield
Oxford
StreetWestfield
London in 4
Harefield
Harold
Hill
HeathrowOrpington
London in 6
M1
A10A12
M4
A3A2
London in...
Londonist
Multicultural Soho Shines In This AI-Enhanced Video From The 1950s
Super-sharp footage of 50s Soho.
10 months ago
Super-sharp footage of 50s Soho.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #3
They've confirmed dates for the upcoming major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout.
This is annoying...
3 months ago
They've confirmed dates for the upcoming major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout.
This is annoying for a number of reasons.
It's hard to comprehend why local bus services have been worsened entirely unnecessarily for several weeks and I can only assume that this is because...
Londonist
London's Best Christmas Markets And Festive Fairs For 2023
Christmas shopping events in the capital, for gifts, decorations, festive food and more.
a year ago
Christmas shopping events in the capital, for gifts, decorations, festive food and more.
diamond geezer
Washside postcards
Washside postcards: Hunstanton → King's Lynn
✉ Head south from Hunstanton and the first village you...
5 months ago
Washside postcards: Hunstanton → King's Lynn
✉ Head south from Hunstanton and the first village you graze is Heacham, home of Norfolk Lavender. It describes itself as "England's premier lavender farm (est. 1932) with nearly 100 acres of lavender" so we had high hopes, but it was...
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
Eurostar Launches Flash Sale - With Tickets From £35
Dépêchez-vous!
10 months ago
Londonist
When You Start Seeing Roundels Everywhere
One you spot, you just can't stop...
a year ago
One you spot, you just can't stop...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How Chai Pani Is Transforming Asheville’s Food Scene
12 months ago
diamond geezer
Where in London?
It's Where in London? time again.
You can see the photos individually here: NW NE SW...
7 months ago
It's Where in London? time again.
You can see the photos individually here: NW NE SW SE
Answers
NW: ???Vanbrough Crescent, Lime Tree Park, Northolt UB5-->
NE: Stansgate Road shops, Dagenham RM10
SW: Heatherlea Grove, The Hamptons, Worcester Park KT4
SE: The Beck, High Broom...
Londonist
"Sensationally Naff": The 1995 Plans To Rebrand Tube Stations After Advertisers
Tube sponsorship is nothing new.
10 months ago
Tube sponsorship is nothing new.
Londonist
The Gravy Fondue: Will You Be Dipping Into London's Winter Food Trend?
Chuck out the cheese - it's all about the brown stuff.
11 months ago
Chuck out the cheese - it's all about the brown stuff.
AFAR Media - Travel...
JetBlue to End American Pact—What This Means for Travelers
a year ago
diamond geezer
Slowing the Bow Roundabout
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276,...
4 months ago
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276, 277 and 425 "to help with reliability during roadworks at the Bow Roundabout and displacement of traffic onto local roads". For example buses on route 25 usually run every 7-8...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Articles on Adventure and Wellness in the Nordic Countries
4 months ago
diamond geezer
Class 701
A new train has entered service on SouthWestern this week.
class 701 - but as yet there is just one...
11 months ago
A new train has entered service on SouthWestern this week.
class 701 - but as yet there is just one train. There should be 90 trains but their introduction is running way behind schedule, indeed the original intention was for the first 701 to enter service five years ago....
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
Draw-Off
For a few weeks every November the water level in the Thames in west London is deliberately...
a month ago
For a few weeks every November the water level in the Thames in west London is deliberately lowered.
Draw-Off and it exposes more of the riverbed than usual.
In order to carry out essential maintenance works on Richmond lock, weirs and sluices, it is necessary to hold up the...
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (3)
Danglegeek (6) Final facts
• Did you know that if your Dangleway journey is delayed for 15...
a year ago
Danglegeek (6) Final facts
• Did you know that if your Dangleway journey is delayed for 15 minutes or more by bad weather, customer incidents, engineering works, security alerts or strikes you may be able to get a refund. It says so on the delay repay webpage.
TfL website, one...
Cheese and Biscuits
Maresco, Soho
Shall we get the inevitable comparisons out of the way first? Yes, there's more than a little...
a year ago
Shall we get the inevitable comparisons out of the way first? Yes, there's more than a little influence from the Hart Bros' Barrafina group of restaurants on display here at Maresco, a bright and bustling new arrival on the streets of Soho. There's a raw bar groaning with...
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...
Londonist
Ice Hockey In London: Who Are The Teams, Where To Watch And When's It On?
Puck up your ideas.
a year ago
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...
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...
3 weeks 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
National Gallery 200
The National Gallery first threw open its doors 200 years ago today. It wasn't in Trafalgar Square...
7 months ago
The National Gallery first threw open its doors 200 years ago today. It wasn't in Trafalgar Square at the time, that hadn't been built yet, but at 100 Pall Mall in a dead banker's townhouse. Here John Julius Angerstein's small collection of Old Masters was displayed, slowly...
Cheese and Biscuits
The London Shell Co., Highgate
The first time I went to the London Shell Co., I hated it. This was nothing to do with the food, and...
a year ago
The first time I went to the London Shell Co., I hated it. This was nothing to do with the food, and everything to do with my aversion to anything boaty, and being trapped on one for the best part of 2 1/2 hours as it punted around the dark, damp Regent's canal in the middle of...
Spoon & Tamago
Cherry Blossom Trees Sprout From Terunobu Fujimori’s ‘Kodamari Fuji’ Lodge
The quaint village of Fujimi is located near the border of Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures. Time...
a year ago
The quaint village of Fujimi is located near the border of Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures. Time tends to pass a bit more slowly here where rice paddies overlook the Southern Alps, Mt. Yatsugatake, and Mt. Fuji. It’s here that architect-extraordinaire Terunobu Fujimori decided...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where You Can Explore the World's Rivers And Protect Them
a year ago
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Asheville’s French Broad River is a Must-Visit
11 months ago
diamond geezer
London's biggest power stations
The square after Pall Mall on the Monopoly board is the Electric Company. It would be too...
8 months ago
The square after Pall Mall on the Monopoly board is the Electric Company. It would be too overfamiliar to visit Tate Modern and Battersea Power Station, plus neither of them still generate electricity, so I'm not going there. Instead I've identified the five largest power...
Londonist
London History Mapped To The Stars
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
a year ago
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Tips for Exploring L.A.'s Northern Shopping Districts
3 months ago
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
AFAR Media - Travel...
You Can See the 2024 Solar Eclipse During This 22-Day Cruise
a year ago
diamond geezer
Counties visited
Now that my blog is really old, I thought it might be interesting from time to time to go back and...
11 months ago
Now that my blog is really old, I thought it might be interesting from time to time to go back and revisit a post from 20 years ago. Ideally exactly 20 years ago, which in this case would be 8th February 2004. When I asked this.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
I've visited the...
Spoon & Tamago
Intricate and Organic Sculptures by Ceramicist Eriko Inazaki
These white and intricate forms appear to be the work of mother nature, sculpted over hundreds and...
a year ago
These white and intricate forms appear to be the work of mother nature, sculpted over hundreds and thousands of years. Instead, they’re the work of Japanese ceramicist Eriko Inazaki, who painstakingly shapes and assembles each prick and piece by hand. And in doing so, she’s...
Londonist
What's Happening With London Housing, Rent And Development? November 2023
Our quickfire summary of bricks and mortar, steel and glass.
a year ago
Our quickfire summary of bricks and mortar, steel and glass.
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...
diamond geezer
Unblogged August
31 unblogged things I did in August
Thu 1: A new coffee shop has opened just inside the gateline at...
4 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in August
Thu 1: A new coffee shop has opened just inside the gateline at Whitechapel station (or at least I assumed it was new because it didn't have a name displayed anywhere, whereas apparently it opened in June). It turns out they're called Yellow...
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
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.
diamond geezer
Football pre-season update
Football pre-season update
Olympic Men's Football, as of three minutes ago, it's time to look...
4 months ago
Football pre-season update
Olympic Men's Football, as of three minutes ago, it's time to look forward 11 minutes to the start of the new football season.
Championship at 8pm tonight with a pair of opening matches, one between title contenders Blackburn Rovers and title...
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.
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Family-Friendly Vacations on Alabama's Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
a year ago
Londonist
East London Could Be Getting This Flashy New Lido
What a beaut.
a year ago
Londonist
Rude Tube: 160 Years Since First Naughty Graffiti On The Underground
What *did* he write?
9 months ago
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...
Londonist
13 Autumnal Day Trips From London: October 2023
Charming events within easy reach of London.
a year ago
Charming events within easy reach of London.
diamond geezer
Tube map gaps
It's exactly 11 months since London last had a new tube map.
Intervals between tube maps in reverse...
a month ago
It's exactly 11 months since London last had a new tube map.
Intervals between tube maps in reverse chronological order
11 months
Dec 2023 A Little Slice of Paradise ← Brent Cross West
7 months
May 2023 Come Out, Come Out
6 months
Nov 2022 Routes/Roots ← Bond Street
6...
Londonist
Previously Off-Limits Areas Of Buckingham Palace To Open To The Public
Including the room behind that world-famous balcony.
9 months ago
Including the room behind that world-famous balcony.
AFAR Media - Travel...
NYC-Based Cocktail Bar, Death & Co, Opens D.C. Location
a year ago
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
The last QEOP entrance opens
In good news the last entrance into the Olympic Park has finally opened. About time too.
The new...
3 months ago
In good news the last entrance into the Olympic Park has finally opened. About time too.
The new connection starts just beyond the bridge over the Waterworks River, where a broad shallow concrete ramp bears off from the Greenway and slopes down towards the railway. It's...
diamond geezer
Boston Tea Party 250
10 ways to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party
It's exactly 250 years since...
a year ago
10 ways to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party
It's exactly 250 years since tax-averse demonstrators boarded ships in Boston Harbour and hurled chests of tea into the water, triggering a snowball of protest which led inexorably to the Declaration of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
What to Eat, Do, and See, and Where to Stay, in Maine
4 months ago
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
Spoon & Tamago
Download Over 30 Butterfly Designs by Meiji-Era Artist Yuho Tanaka
Yuho Tanaka (田中幽峰) was an accomplished artist and draughtsman active in Kyoto during the late-1800s....
a year ago
Yuho Tanaka (田中幽峰) was an accomplished artist and draughtsman active in Kyoto during the late-1800s. At the height of his career in the 1890s he created numerous graphic patterns inspired by butterflies that were eventually compiled into a book titled hyaku-cho-zuan, or One...
diamond geezer
Your guide to the new Overground line names
Your guide to the new Overground line names
individual names in 2015, mostly geographically-based,...
10 months ago
Your guide to the new Overground line names
individual names in 2015, mostly geographically-based, but Boris Johnson swiftly vetoed the proposal. Then in 2021 Sadiq Khan's manifesto pledged to rename the lines if he got elected.
"TfL’s London Overground network has grown...
Londonist
9 Challenge Events In London In 2024 To Sign Up For Right Now
New year, new challenge!
a year ago
diamond geezer
Substacks
For those who like writing online, the blogging platform of choice continues to evolve.
Substack,...
3 weeks ago
For those who like writing online, the blogging platform of choice continues to evolve.
Substack, founded in 2017, which has been picking up more and more top writers of late. I have no intention of jumping ship, let's make that clear at the start, but I thought I'd take a...
diamond geezer
Why are people wrong?
Why are people wrong?
There's no need to be wrong these days, all the facts are there. All you...
5 months ago
Why are people wrong?
There's no need to be wrong these days, all the facts are there. All you need to do is look.
It's not clear where all this wrongness comes from. Nobody's born with wrong opinions but many accrue them later in life. Could be nature, could be nurture,...
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...
diamond geezer
with a 9 on the end
Birthdays are often great, but a birthday with a 9 on the end can give cause to ponder as the end of...
10 months ago
Birthdays are often great, but a birthday with a 9 on the end can give cause to ponder as the end of another decade grows uncomfortably close.
So I thought I'd look back at my previous birthdays ending in 9, the moments I found myself on final approach to another decade's end,...
diamond geezer
Prince Henry's Room
Open House is here again, indeed it kicked off earlier than the first official weekend which is how...
a year ago
Open House is here again, indeed it kicked off earlier than the first official weekend which is how yesterday I managed to visit an unvisitable tourist attraction.
Open House: Prince Henry's Room (17 Fleet Street)
Prince Henry's Room is a first-floor Jacobean chamber...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Kessler Collection Hotels with Art in the Southern U.S.
5 months ago
diamond geezer
London's longest countdowns
Works to remodel the Old Street roundabout are nearing completion, above ground at least. It was...
9 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...
One from Nippon
A peek inside Japan's largest Dagashi store
Every morning, 67-year Hideyuki Akiyama drives to his store along the rural roads of Okayama in...
a year ago
Every morning, 67-year Hideyuki Akiyama drives to his store along the rural roads of Okayama in Western Japan. Today is no different. A line of excited customers queuing up before the shutters are open.
“Disneyland isn’t our land of dreams, this is!” says one 20-something woman.
diamond geezer
Houlton
Approaching Rugby by train 20 years ago, what you'd have noticed out of the window was a vast array...
10 months ago
Approaching Rugby by train 20 years ago, what you'd have noticed out of the window was a vast array of very tall masts clustered across the fields to one side. They were even more prominent from the A5 on the far side of the site, equally visible from the M1 and perhaps best seen...
The Forney Flyer
Still Here... Again.
Folks, I'm still alive! I don't just mean that figuratively, I mean it literally. It seem like I've...
over a year ago
Folks, I'm still alive! I don't just mean that figuratively, I mean it literally. It seem like I've made a lot of excuses on this blog over the past year, for the chunks of time where I seem to disappear for a while. Well, this time I really had a good excuse!
Last October I...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 9-10 December 2023
Drag brunch, wheelchair basketball, life drawing, and a sci-fi film all-nighter.
a year ago
Drag brunch, wheelchair basketball, life drawing, and a sci-fi film all-nighter.
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...
diamond geezer
Unblogged October
31 unblogged things I did in October
Tue 1: Two new developments in Barking & Dagenham are...
2 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in October
Tue 1: Two new developments in Barking & Dagenham are over-egging transport links in their roadside marketing. Barking Riverside says 'Perfectly connected' when the reality is a half-hourly boat, a train to Barking or non-express buses....
diamond geezer
Extinguishing the 497
This post is about little-used buses on the eastern edge of Havering. If you've never ridden the...
11 months ago
This post is about little-used buses on the eastern edge of Havering. If you've never ridden the 346, 347 or 497 it may not be for you.
least frequent bus (speciality routes excepted), and Geoff's just made a video about it.
consultation to tweak/combine/withdraw these three...
Londonist
Review: Blockbuster Disney Exhibition Digs Deep To Deliver The Magic
Fans will love this centenary show.
a year ago
Fans will love this centenary show.
diamond geezer
Anorak corner (tube edition)
Anorak Corner (the annual update) [tube edition]
Hurrah, it's that time of year again when TfL...
3 months ago
Anorak Corner (the annual update) [tube edition]
Hurrah, it's that time of year again when TfL silently updates its spreadsheet of annual passenger entry/exit totals at every tube station.
To be honest they did this last month, that's how silently the data was updated, but at...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Lufthansa Strives to for More Eco-Friendly Air Travel
2 months ago
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...
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.
Cheese and Biscuits
Lulu's, Herne Hill
Thank the lord for the lengthening days, for lifting the spirits and lightening the mood and - most...
a year ago
Thank the lord for the lengthening days, for lifting the spirits and lightening the mood and - most importantly from my point of view - dramatically improving the quality of food photography on this blog. I'm sure Lulu's would be a lovely, cozy little spot even in the depths of...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Road Trip in Chile's Lake District with Hikes & Hot Springs
a week ago
diamond geezer
Over 30
A heatwave in September is unusual but not unprecedented.
Dates on which the temperature at...
a year ago
A heatwave in September is unusual but not unprecedented.
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...
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Exploring Tokyo’s Hidden Shrines
According to statistics, Tokyo is home to over 1800 Shinto shrines. You have your major shrines like...
a year ago
According to statistics, Tokyo is home to over 1800 Shinto shrines. You have your major shrines like Meiji-Jingu and Hie Shrine but there are many other tiny shrines, often unstaffed and nestled in the depths of back streets and behind buildings. Tearing down a shrine would be...
Spoon & Tamago
Three Art Festival to Visit in Japan in the 2nd Half of 2024
Japan’s numerous art festivals have proven to be an effective way of luring domestic and...
7 months ago
Japan’s numerous art festivals have proven to be an effective way of luring domestic and international tourists out of popular destinations and into rural parts of Japan they would have otherwise not visited. The poster child is perhaps the Setouchi Triennale, whose combination...
Londonist
The Next London Borough Of Culture Will Be Wandsworth, Followed By...
Next two boroughs announced.
9 months ago
Next two boroughs announced.
diamond geezer
You must have a valid ticket before boarding
Last month there were significant closures on the DLR and a replacement bus service ran.
And...
4 months ago
Last month there were significant closures on the DLR and a replacement bus service ran.
And there was one particular sentence that surprised me the most.
"You must have a valid ticket before boarding the replacement bus service."
I've never seen that before, not on a TfL...
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...
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.
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.
Londonist
Panto In London - Where To Watch The Best Pantomimes This Festive Season
Panto is back for 2023 - oh yes it is!
a year ago
Panto is back for 2023 - oh yes it is!
Londonist
A Rare Chance To Have Afternoon Tea Inside Greenwich's Painted Hall This March
For one day only.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Victoria vents in Islington
One thing every underground railway needs is ventilation and the Victoria line needs it more than...
a year ago
One thing every underground railway needs is ventilation and the Victoria line needs it more than most. It runs fully underground from end to end and has lengthy distances between stations, so without atmospheric release would soon come unstuck. Engineers therefore had to include...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How Asheville’s Nature Inspires Local Chef, Ashleigh Shanti
a year ago
Londonist
The Best London Pubs With Private Function Rooms To Hire
Looking to party? We've got the pub for you.
a year ago
Looking to party? We've got the pub for you.
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.
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
diamond geezer
Superloop 2
Yesterday's big reveal from would-be Mayor-to-be Sadiq was a major extension to the Superloop...
8 months ago
Yesterday's big reveal from would-be Mayor-to-be Sadiq was a major extension to the Superloop express bus network. Phase 1 has ten routes and the plan is to add another ten and call it Superloop 2. There's a map and everything.
The most important thing on the map is the box in...
Londonist
This North American City Is Basically A Big Old Copy-And-Paste Of London
Copy our homework much, folks?
a year ago
Copy our homework much, folks?
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...
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
Enchanting Chocolate Shops In London, For When You Need A Cocoa Fix
Top-notch chocolatiers across town.
11 months ago
Top-notch chocolatiers across town.
diamond geezer
The news from Birmingham
Non-Hyperlocal update: The news from Birmingham
1) Ozzy the Bull, who you may remember stole the...
3 months ago
Non-Hyperlocal update: The news from Birmingham
1) Ozzy the Bull, who you may remember stole the show at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, has been relocated to take pride of place at New Street station. To be fair he's been there since last summer but this is the...
Londonist
That Time Someone Rode A Lambretta Down The Thames
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
a year ago
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
Herbert Lui
Turner’s practice
When you look at one of Joseph Mallord William Turner’s paintings, you might notice his work with...
a week ago
When you look at one of Joseph Mallord William Turner’s paintings, you might notice his work with color. Yes—while it is a landscape painting, and landscapes were seen as a relatively low form of art at the time, that Turner took on any way for better commercial prospects—it’s...
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.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 5-11 February 2024
The best articles from the past week.
10 months ago
The best articles from the past week.
Cheese and Biscuits
Pied à Terre, Fitzrovia
Since the closure of Le Gavroche, Pied à Terre is now the London restaurant which has held at least...
6 months ago
Since the closure of Le Gavroche, Pied à Terre is now the London restaurant which has held at least one Michelin star for the longest time. It first won the accolade shortly after it opened back in 1991, a time when fine dining meant French dining, and the term "gastropub" was...
diamond geezer
Poverest
This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Poverest Tourist Board
Visit Poverest - London's Secret...
4 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...
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
Hither Green Rail Crash: 1967 Disaster Was One Of London's Worst
"I saw one of the coaches go straight up on its end."
a year ago
"I saw one of the coaches go straight up on its end."
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 25-26 November 2023
Festive markets, drag queens, ice hockey and queer lit.
a year ago
Festive markets, drag queens, ice hockey and queer lit.
Herbert Lui
Serious writing
In Impro, Keith Johnstone describes how his teachers taught him to write, “They wanted me to reject...
a month ago
In Impro, Keith Johnstone describes how his teachers taught him to write, “They wanted me to reject and discriminate, believing that the best artist was the one who made the most elegant choices. They analysed poems to show how difficult ‘real’ writing was, and they taught that I...
Londonist
Review: Yoko Ono's Music Of The Mind Is Bizarre, Baffling, Laughable, Brilliant
Immersive retrospective lands at Tate.
10 months ago
Immersive retrospective lands at Tate.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Guide for Solo Travelers: Exploring This Beach Destination
7 months ago
Londonist
Ever Been To This Free London Yew Maze?
A tree-ific day out, right alongside the Elizabeth line.
a year ago
A tree-ific day out, right alongside the Elizabeth line.
diamond geezer
Anorak corner - bus edition
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual...
a month 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 2023 - March 2024. Comparisons are with the...
diamond geezer
Transport Freedom
I love my Travelcard because it allows me to take multiple journeys anywhere I like whenever I like....
12 months ago
I love my Travelcard because it allows me to take multiple journeys anywhere I like whenever I like. For a one-off fee I can roam on all TfL modes of transport in my chosen zones. I can go to Woolwich, then West Ealing, then Wood Green if I so choose. I can change my mind mid...
diamond geezer
Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Things on Hills: Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Where the heck are we? The far side of Redbridge,...
2 months ago
Things on Hills: Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Where the heck are we? The far side of Redbridge, almost in Havering
Be more precise: On the southern edge of Hainault Country Park
Nearest tube station: Fairlop, but 1½ miles away so hardly near
Nearest bus routes: both the 247 and...
diamond geezer
Route 310
Route 310: Golders Green - Stamford Hill
Length of journey: 7 miles, 45 minutes
promised during the...
4 months ago
Route 310: Golders Green - Stamford Hill
Length of journey: 7 miles, 45 minutes
promised during the Mayoral election. It shadows two existing bus routes. It's being delivered on a twelve-month trial basis. It runs every day but not all of the day. It tackles one very specific...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
What is a Dahabiya? A Guide to This Nile Cruise Option
a year ago
Londonist
This Hammersmith Venue Hosts A Free Community Dinner Every Month
"The simple act of eating together to spark connection."
a year ago
"The simple act of eating together to spark connection."
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Friends’ Trip at Pendry Park City Resort, Utah
3 weeks ago
diamond geezer
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibition: The Origin of the Faeces: Poo from the...
a year ago
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibition: The Origin of the Faeces: Poo from the Zoo
Ancient building: the stone foundations of former Kingston Bridge (1170)
caveat: more a structure than a building, but very definitely ancient
on display for the first time...
Londonist
The Chelsea Flower Show 2024: A Blooming Brief Guide
The world’s greatest flower show returns.
9 months ago
The world’s greatest flower show returns.
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
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...
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...
Spoon & Tamago
The Conran Shop, A New Chapter For Hillside Terrace by Keiji Ashizawa Design
All images courtesy of Keiji Ashizawa Design Since opening its London flagship in 1973, The Conran...
a year ago
All images courtesy of Keiji Ashizawa Design Since opening its London flagship in 1973, The Conran Shop has been a go-to destination for all things contemporary design. And in their latest chapter, the curated shop welcomes you to its new space in Hillside Terrace, a relaxing...
diamond geezer
Free Parking
FREE
🚗
PARKING
As my tour of London's Monopoly board
reaches the halfway...
6 months ago
FREE
🚗
PARKING
As my tour of London's Monopoly board
reaches the halfway point,
halfway through the year,
let's go in hunt of Free Parking.
Parking in central London is difficult, deliberately so, and generally not free. Yellow lines are everywhere, invisible...
diamond geezer
The centre of London
The centre of London is generally taken to be the statue of Charles I on the south side of Trafalgar...
8 months ago
The centre of London is generally taken to be the statue of Charles I on the south side of Trafalgar Square. It sits on the site of the original Charing Cross and is also the point from which mileages are measured, as a plaque at its foot attests.
1) The centroid
centroid is...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Outdoor Destinations for Every Kind of Traveler
6 months ago
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.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 25-31 December 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Bus stops served by the most buses
Sunday was the 5th best day ever on diamond geezer, visitornumberswise, and came within a smidge of...
6 months ago
Sunday was the 5th best day ever on diamond geezer, visitornumberswise, and came within a smidge of being the 4th. As usual it had nothing to do with something I'd just written, just thousands of people piling onto an old post which just happened to answer a question someone had...
Londonist
London's Christmas Lights 2023: Where, When And How To See Them This Year
A complete guide to London's glittering festive displays.
a year ago
A complete guide to London's glittering festive displays.
Londonist
Delightful Literary Days Out Near London That All Book Lovers Should Do
Immerse yourself in the worlds of famous authors, from Charles Dickens to AA Milne.
a year ago
Immerse yourself in the worlds of famous authors, from Charles Dickens to AA Milne.
Londonist
The Gingerbread City 2023: London's Tastiest Exhibition Returns For Christmas
Buildings made of biscuits, decorated with icing and sweets.
a year ago
Buildings made of biscuits, decorated with icing and sweets.
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