diamond geezer
Old Bexley & Sidcup
I've not been especially balanced in my recent reporting of the capital.
• Yesterday I went to...
6 months ago
I've not been especially balanced in my recent reporting of the capital.
• Yesterday I went to Carpenters Road in the constituency of Stratford & Bow where Labour's Uma Kumaran is going to walk it.
• The day before I went to Ham in the constituency of Richmond Park where Liberal...
diamond geezer
Bond Street
BOND
STREET
£320
London's Monopoly Streets
BOND STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price:...
a month ago
BOND
STREET
£320
London's Monopoly Streets
BOND STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price: £320
Rent: £28
Length: 800m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
penultimate street on the Monopoly board famously doesn't exist, even though it has a station named after it. It's also...
Herbert Lui
Confidence vs. trusting the process
“This might not work,” Seth Godin writes in his blog post, “Out on a limb.” (It’s one of my...
2 weeks ago
“This might not work,” Seth Godin writes in his blog post, “Out on a limb.” (It’s one of my favorites, alongside “Talker’s Block.” ) It’s fascinating to see this idea make it into a key part of his book The Practice, which I recently picked up and find myself liking a lot. If you...
Londonist
A Brief History Of Tower Bridge
The history behind London's iconic bridge
a year ago
The history behind London's iconic bridge
diamond geezer
Horizon 22
These are great times for going up very tall buildings. Last month 8 Bishopsgate opened its rooftop...
a year ago
These are great times for going up very tall buildings. Last month 8 Bishopsgate opened its rooftop viewing platform to the public, free of charge, and on Wednesday 22 Bishopsgate followed suit. Its viewing platform is called Horizon 22, and at 254m above ground level it's two...
Spoon & Tamago
Oimachi’s New Shopping Oasis Coexists with the Mountains and Sea
All images © Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates Built on reclaimed land that seamlessly blends...
a year ago
All images © Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates Built on reclaimed land that seamlessly blends the expanse of the sea with the majestic mountains, ‘See-Sea Park‘ is a new commercial complex spanning over an area of 10,800 square meters in Oimachi, Fukui. The structure aims...
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...
Where to Explore Maine’s Outdoors and Dining—a Local's Guide
4 months ago
Londonist
Why The Hammersmith & City Is (Arguably) London's Newest Tube Line
It's only been around since 1990 (sort of).
10 months ago
It's only been around since 1990 (sort of).
Londonist
Things To Do This Easter Weekend In London: 29 March-1 April 2024
Our bumper events guide for the long weekend.
9 months ago
Our bumper events guide for the long weekend.
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
Christmas Music Shows In London 2023 - Get Festive With Everything From Crooners To Massaoke
Carols not your thing? There's still a sleigh-load of festive music to lap up.
a year ago
Carols not your thing? There's still a sleigh-load of festive music to lap up.
AFAR Media - Travel...
What is a Dahabiya? A Guide to This Nile Cruise Option
a year ago
Londonist
How London Underground Became The Coolest Brand In The World
From the first roundel to moquette trainers.
a year ago
From the first roundel to moquette trainers.
AFAR Media - Travel...
NYC-Based Cocktail Bar, Death & Co, Opens D.C. Location
a year ago
diamond geezer
Far From Super Loop
On bus shelters across London TfL are keenly advertising the Superloop. The poster shows a bus, a...
11 months 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...
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...
Londonist
At The Smithfield Memorial To Scottish Hero William Wallace
Still receiving flowers over 700 years on.
a year ago
Still receiving flowers over 700 years on.
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
How Many Underground Stations Are Overground, And How Many Overground Stations Are Underground?
If you see what we mean...
11 months ago
If you see what we mean...
diamond geezer
Old Kent Road
OLD KENT
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
OLD KENT ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase price:...
11 months ago
OLD KENT
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
OLD KENT ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase price: £60
Rent: £2
Length: 1¾ miles
Boroughs: Southwark and Lewisham
Postcodes: SE1, SE15
Old Kent Road, which is also the only location south of the river. Originally this was Watling...
diamond geezer
Why did they say that?
This post is about announcements I’ve heard on TfL services recently.
The announcements split into...
9 months ago
This post is about announcements I’ve heard on TfL services recently.
The announcements split into two groups.
a) Why did they say that?
b) Why did they say that now?
Why did they say that?
"Customers using the escalators are advised to carry pets at all times"
[Whitechapel...
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.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 30 October-5 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
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.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Croydon
Chew your way through CR0.
a year ago
Chew your way through CR0.
Cheese and Biscuits
Speedboat Bar, Soho
It's been a very long time since I did my post-University trip to SE Asia (yes, I am a cliché, I...
over a year ago
It's been a very long time since I did my post-University trip to SE Asia (yes, I am a cliché, I know) and although this was 2001 (I am also old) and years before I thought about starting a food blog (in fact probably years before the first blog even existed) I remember being...
diamond geezer
Overground line factfile
Overground line factfile
(because all the stats have changed)
Windrush line...
3 weeks ago
Overground line factfile
(because all the stats have changed)
Windrush line
Operates: Highbury & Islington to New Cross/Clapham Junction/Crystal Palace/West Croydon
Colour on map: red parallel lines
Joined the Overground: 2010
Length: 24 miles
Zones: 1-5
Number...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 25-31 March 2024
Catch up with the best Londonist articles from the past week.
8 months ago
Catch up with the best Londonist articles from the past week.
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 beetle
After I boarded my train home from Surrey on Sunday I noticed that a beetle had hitched a ride on my...
a year ago
After I boarded my train home from Surrey on Sunday I noticed that a beetle had hitched a ride on my rucksack. It could have jumped from a bush I'd brushed against, it could have worked its way up from my boots or it could have crawled on when I put my rucksack down on the...
diamond geezer
Some transport news
Some transport news
Overground news
It's only accessible via QR code so it's not that...
4 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
Jings! London Is Getting A Deli Selling Nothing But Scottish Food
The Shoap opens in Angel in February.
10 months ago
The Shoap opens in Angel in February.
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Explore Dallas’ Culturally Diverse Arts Scene
5 months ago
diamond geezer
Wembley Brook
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor...
a year ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor enough that I'd never heard of it before squinting more closely at a map of Wembley. This may be because the brook only spends a mile on the surface and spends the rest of its...
Londonist
V&A East - Brand New Museum Opening In 2025 Announces Its First Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
a year ago
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
diamond geezer
Bow Street
BOW
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
BOW STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price:...
6 months ago
BOW
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
BOW STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price: £180
Rent: £14
Length: 200m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: WC2
n.b. This is Bow Street in Covent Garden which is nowhere near Bow Road in Bow, nor close to the church of St-Mary-le-Bow...
Londonist
57 Magnificent Things To Do In London This Month: March 2024
Art fairs, Comic Con, the Boat Races, and other March events.
9 months ago
Art fairs, Comic Con, the Boat Races, and other March events.
Spoon & Tamago
Osaka Celebrates Star Festival with River of 40,000 LED Lights Evoking the Milky Way
The Okawa River, which runs through central Osaka, was lit up on Friday with 40,000 LED lights...
a year ago
The Okawa River, which runs through central Osaka, was lit up on Friday with 40,000 LED lights floating down the river as they evoked the celestial milky way. The surreal scene was part of a celebration of Tanabata, or the Star Festival, which is a major summer festival in Japan...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in August 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day...
3 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day Travelcards (down 38% on 2018/19). They also sold 3,849,293 Weekly Travelcards (down 65%), 801,367 Monthly Travelcards (down 67%) and only 15,192 Annual Travelcards (down 80%).
2)...
diamond geezer
Mildmay Weaver Windrush
We're still a couple of weeks away from the renaming of the Overground lines.
On the left is the...
3 months ago
We're still a couple of weeks away from the renaming of the Overground lines.
On the left is the list of Overground line closures displayed at every station this week...
It may look unfamiliar, and the line names may not mean much to you yet.
But I'd hope we can agree it's...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Architecture Lover’s Dream Tour Through Germany’s UNESCO Sites and Beyond
6 months ago
diamond geezer
London's weekly local papers
In Motspur Park I saw a newsagent that still has an advert for the Surrey Comet above the awning. Is...
3 months ago
In Motspur Park I saw a newsagent that still has an advert for the Surrey Comet above the awning. Is that still going, I wondered. And yes, it turns out it still publishes, though now as the Epsom & Surrey Comet.
weekly local newspapers London still has.
Barnet Borough...
Londonist
TfL Raises Penalty Fare To £100
£130m-£150m lost a year thanks to fare dodgers.
9 months ago
£130m-£150m lost a year thanks to fare dodgers.
Londonist
Ice Cream And Gelato Galore At Covent Garden's Frozen Festival
Feat. a Wes Anderson-inspired pop up.
a year ago
Feat. a Wes Anderson-inspired pop up.
diamond geezer
Still hanging around
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in...
a year ago
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in National Trust properties but because an old post hit an international news aggregator. My post about Crossrail timewasting ended up on hckr news under the headline "25% of the 13 minute...
Londonist
Where To Recycle Or Dispose Of Your 2023 Christmas Tree In London
Which London boroughs recycle them?
11 months ago
Which London boroughs recycle them?
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore is The City's Best Hotel
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Art & Coffee: Our Favorite Museum Cafes Across Japan
Come for the art, stay for the coffee. Japan’s numerous museums offer a little bit of everything....
a year ago
Come for the art, stay for the coffee. Japan’s numerous museums offer a little bit of everything. Whether it’s cutting edge, contemporary art in Tokyo or a tiny museum in the countryside dedicated to a single sculptor, seeking them out is always rewarding. What’s also rewarding...
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.
diamond geezer
Regent Street
REGENT
STREET
£300
London's Monopoly Streets
REGENT STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price:...
2 months ago
REGENT
STREET
£300
London's Monopoly Streets
REGENT STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price: £300
Rent: £26
Length: 1300m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1/SW1
Regent Street is one of the board's younger streets and a rarity for central London in that an architect drew a...
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.
Londonist
Ice Hockey In London: Who Are The Teams, Where To Watch And When's It On?
Puck up your ideas.
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Reasons to Visit Amelia Island, Florida
11 months ago
diamond geezer
London Heritage Quarter Summer Trail
What is this bolx?
London Heritage Quarter 'Journey Through Time' Summer Trail and it's bolx. It's...
6 months ago
What is this bolx?
London Heritage Quarter 'Journey Through Time' Summer Trail and it's bolx. It's been organised not to inspire and delight but to drive footfall to four commercial districts. It kicked off last week and runs all summer. It's lowest common denominator art. It's...
Londonist
DLR Extension To Thamesmead: Public Consultation Opens
Have your say before 18 March.
10 months ago
Have your say before 18 March.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate St Patrick's Day 2024 In London
Parties, parades and other craic on and around 17 March.
9 months ago
Parties, parades and other craic on and around 17 March.
Londonist
London Overground Strikes Next Week Cancelled
Normal service now planned.
10 months ago
Normal service now planned.
One from Nippon
$450 for a School Bag?!
Every year, around March, a curious social custom occurs in Japanese families.
Parents of kids...
11 months ago
Every year, around March, a curious social custom occurs in Japanese families.
Parents of kids entering elementary school visit the grandparents and gingerly tread the topic of buying the kids a very expensive item: a randoseru.
And gingerly they must tread. The randoseru, a...
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...
a month 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
Bow Roundabout update #2
Roadworks are supposed to have started at the Bow Roundabout but they haven't yet, indeed it's...
3 months ago
Roadworks are supposed to have started at the Bow Roundabout but they haven't yet, indeed it's possible they've actually been put back by two weeks. This is somewhat peeving given substantial bus mitigation has already taken place - five routes have had their frequency...
diamond geezer
Election triplepoint
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the...
5 months ago
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the Liberal Democrats have doubled their total to 6 and the Conservatives slumped to just 9. The electoral map of London is thus almost all red, with a yellow bloc to the southwest and a...
Londonist
See A Flock Of 50 Sheep Herded Over Southwark Bridge This September
By a celebrity.
a year ago
diamond geezer
It's this blog's 22nd birthday
It's diamond geezer's 22nd birthday.
It's not an especially notable anniversary, not like 21 or...
3 months ago
It's diamond geezer's 22nd birthday.
It's not an especially notable anniversary, not like 21 or 20, but it's still a big number.
Londonist
Rare Chelsea Books: Memories Of A Bookshop On The King's Road
"We discouraged visitors from bringing in galettes, to prevent sticky fingers."
a year ago
"We discouraged visitors from bringing in galettes, to prevent sticky fingers."
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Winter Resorts and Activities in Central Minnesota
a month ago
diamond geezer
geezer's postbag
Thank you for your occasional emails, which I generally try to get round to answering...
11 months ago
Thank you for your occasional emails, which I generally try to get round to answering eventually.
storm names as agreed by the British, Irish and Dutch Met Offices.
Hi,
Agnes got a one word reply, and it wasn't Yes.
adventuregameco.com/things-to-do
I did not allow Babet to...
Cheese and Biscuits
Zapote, Shoreditch
One of the best things about being in San Diego twice a year (apart from the zoo... and seeing the...
a year ago
One of the best things about being in San Diego twice a year (apart from the zoo... and seeing the family of course) is its proximity to the Mexican border and to Tijuana. Mexico's second largest city is home to a breathtaking variety of restaurants at all price points, from...
Londonist
Smithfield Market Christmas Meat Auction 2023: A Guide
Get your Xmas turkey on the cheap!
a year ago
Get your Xmas turkey on the cheap!
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in May 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices...
6 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices which sold the fewest tickets in 2023 were Acton Main Line (2736), Hanwell (3375) and Maryland (4037). That's about 10 tickets per day.
2) The installation of new brighter lighting...
Londonist
Where To Dine And Drink In An Igloo Or Snow Globe In London This Winter
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
a year ago
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
Londonist
London Overground Strikes Announced For February And March
Plan ahead if you use the Ginger Line.
10 months ago
Plan ahead if you use the Ginger Line.
Londonist
Black History Month Events In London 2023
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
a year ago
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
Spoon & Tamago
Satoshi Odagiri Creates One-of-a-Kind Organic Mobiles from Found Material
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday...
9 months ago
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday Factory, a design studio founded by Satoshi Odagiri in 2015. Inspired by the surrounding forests, rivers and wildflowers, Odagiri creates balancing mobiles that incorporate materials...
diamond geezer
Northumberland Avenue
NORTHUMBER
LAND AVENUE
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE
Colour group:...
7 months ago
NORTHUMBER
LAND AVENUE
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE
Colour group: pink
Purchase price: £160
Rent: £12
Length: 300m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: SW1
Northumberland Avenue is a young street by central London standards, and a grand one at that. Like...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Top Local Spots to Eat, Shop, & Après Ski in Park City, Utah
3 days ago
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
Cycle All Day For £3, As Santander Cycles Introduces New Day Pass
We feel a challenge coming on...
11 months ago
We feel a challenge coming on...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Upgrading to Lufthansa Allegris’ New Business Class
4 months ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Med Salleh Viet, Earl's Court
It's a funny old part of town is Earl's Court. Not quite Kensington, not quite Chelsea, not many...
a month ago
It's a funny old part of town is Earl's Court. Not quite Kensington, not quite Chelsea, not many reasons to visit (certainly not since the conference center/arena got pulled down), it's these days little more than a fairly ordinary provincial high street dumped in West London,...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 12-18 February 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 30-31 December 2023
The best ways to spend the last weekend of 2023 in the capital.
12 months ago
The best ways to spend the last weekend of 2023 in the capital.
Londonist
Seek Out 25 Colourful Guide Dog Sculptures In Canary Wharf
We've heard of a glossy coat but this is ridiculous...
9 months ago
We've heard of a glossy coat but this is ridiculous...
Londonist
An A-Z Of The London Underground
X was tricky but we think we sorted it.
11 months ago
X was tricky but we think we sorted it.
Londonist
Save The Crystal Palace Radio Controlled Car Track!
Did you know about this RC circuit? Well it's under threat.
11 months ago
Did you know about this RC circuit? Well it's under threat.
diamond geezer
Greens
Once their leaves come out, trees are green until the autumn. But they're never as brilliantly green...
8 months ago
Once their leaves come out, trees are green until the autumn. But they're never as brilliantly green as they are in early spring when the leaves are still young. The canopy is a beautiful burst of light greens, a mix of subtle tones of jade and emerald. Here's the view from...
diamond geezer
Exiting Northwood
I said I wasn't going to make a habit of this, and I'm not, but I've ticked off nine more.
The...
7 months ago
I said I wasn't going to make a habit of this, and I'm not, but I've ticked off nine more.
The black ticks are all the crossings I've crossed and my latest tranche are on the eastern side of the map between Batchworth Heath and Oxhey Woods, i.e. this bit.
this stretch of the...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 4-5 November 2023
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
a year ago
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
One from Nippon
From the Ashes of the World's First App Store
Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part article. Read Part 1 here.
Part 1 Summary: Brother...
a year ago
Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part article. Read Part 1 here.
Part 1 Summary: Brother Industries built Takeru, the world's first software vending machine that let users download software from a server. While revolutionary, it wasn't as huge a success as
diamond geezer
The Royal Mail Experiment
Have you ever wondered whether the Royal Mail are failing to deliver your post on time? I've long...
3 months ago
Have you ever wondered whether the Royal Mail are failing to deliver your post on time? I've long thought it suspicious that I go days without post then a whole batch arrives together, and that bills seem to arrive long after they were posted. But without evidence all this is...
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 167
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles, 50 minutes
Because it's 16th July I've been out riding the 167, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Let's hit the Home Counties.
167 extends far enough to properly enter...
Cheese and Biscuits
Mamapen at the Sun and 13 Cantons, Soho
There are a few pubs in London notable for their hosting of fledgling food businesses, giving...
3 months ago
There are a few pubs in London notable for their hosting of fledgling food businesses, giving talented but cash-strapped teams a chance to test their market and their cooking skills without the risk and stress of opening a completely brand new restaurant. Over the years, you will...
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
Consequential
Some weeks are consequential.
a) Today is the Budget.
This budget also feels like it's been...
a month ago
Some weeks are consequential.
a) Today is the Budget.
This budget also feels like it's been coming for ages, the General Election being 17 weeks ago, but it takes time to check the nation's finances, develop a plan and balance strategic gains with individual pain. There has...
Londonist
When A Tube Train Full Of Passengers Was Abandoned In The Tunnel
The stuff of nightmares.
a year ago
Londonist
The Dreamlike Tower Bridge From Poor Things Was Almost Real
Yorgos Lanthimos revives Horace Jones' original design.
9 months ago
Yorgos Lanthimos revives Horace Jones' original design.
Londonist
The Curling Club Has Slid Into South Bank For A Winter-Long Après-Ski Party
Unleash your inner Winter Olympian.
a year ago
Unleash your inner Winter Olympian.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel to Costal Germany's Historical UNESCO Sites
7 months ago
Londonist
Bush Hall: Live Music At Historic West London Venue Under Immediate Threat
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
9 months ago
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
diamond geezer
Living on an airfield
London contains a lot of former airfields.
Hornchurch.
This was formerly RAF Hornchurch, a large...
11 months ago
London contains a lot of former airfields.
Hornchurch.
This was formerly RAF Hornchurch, a large airfield in the Ingrebourne valley which played a vital role in defending the eastern side of the capital from German bombers. It first came into service in 1915 when it was known...
Londonist
Behind The Blue Doors Of Brixton's Georgian Almshouse
Free exhibition comes to Lambeth Archives.
8 months ago
Free exhibition comes to Lambeth Archives.
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
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 23-24 December 2023
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
a year ago
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 1-7 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
11 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
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...
10 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...
Londonist
Frieze Sculpture 2023: Regent's Park Turns Into A Free Outdoor Art Gallery This Autumn
22 playful works of art sprinkled around the English Gardens.
a year ago
22 playful works of art sprinkled around the English Gardens.
Londonist
We Talk To John Rogers, Filmmaker And Author Of Welcome To New London
A true London legend.
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Myaku-Myaku Footwear, Inspired by the Googly-Eyed Mascot for the Osaka Expo
Myaku-Myaku, the unsettling googly-eyed humanoid that was selected as the 2025 Osaka Expo, has...
8 months ago
Myaku-Myaku, the unsettling googly-eyed humanoid that was selected as the 2025 Osaka Expo, has inspired numerous spinoffs, both official and unofficial. And with exactly 1 year to go before the Expo, we should all expect to see a lot more. The latest iteration comes in the form...
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Devonshire, Soho
There's no avoiding the fact, and there's no point dancing around it. There's no need for lengthy,...
a year ago
There's no avoiding the fact, and there's no point dancing around it. There's no need for lengthy, thoughtful or measured arguments; no sense in analysing the details. There needs to be no slow and steady building of a case, culminating in a grand and weighty conclusion. The...
diamond geezer
Friday transport news
Friday transport news
n.b. London Reconnections does a longer list every Friday
Ian Visits does a...
10 months ago
Friday transport news
n.b. London Reconnections does a longer list every Friday
Ian Visits does a longer list every Friday
Raildate does a longer list every Friday
Overground news
recently restored, and it's one of the latter.
It's the original waiting room from 1872 which...
Londonist
Tower Bridge Will Be Stuck In The Raised Position, As It Closes Over Bank Holiday
It's supposed to be like that.
a year ago
It's supposed to be like that.
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (2)
Danglewatch (4) Dangleway dining
North
Heroica Pizza Bus is emblazoned with murals and...
a year ago
Danglewatch (4) Dangleway dining
North
Heroica Pizza Bus is emblazoned with murals and 'hilarious' signs ("Unattended Children Will Be Given an Espresso And A Free Puppy"), so could hardly scream 'tourists welcome' any louder.
cafe of the decent but dull variety, but it's...
diamond geezer
Apple Day
From: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 17
To: Diamond Geezer Content Coordination...
a year ago
From: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 17
To: Diamond Geezer Content Coordination Tsar
Apple Day.
From: Diamond Geezer Content Coordination Tsar
To: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 17
From: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 17
To: Diamond Geezer ...
Londonist
A (Free) Newsletter For Everybody Excited About The London Art World
It's going to be a masterpiece.
10 months ago
It's going to be a masterpiece.
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...
a month 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...
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 197
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles, 65 minutes
Because it's 19th July I've been out riding the 197, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. My apologies for the repetition.
Threepenny Bit building, stopping not...
Londonist
London Almost Had Another Public Aquarium - In Silvertown Docks
Ever heard of 'Biota!'?
a year ago
Londonist
Can You Set Off Your Own Fireworks In London?
DIY whizzbangs, explained.
a year ago
DIY whizzbangs, explained.
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.
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
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 26 February-3 March 2024
Our top stories from the last seven days.
9 months ago
Our top stories from the last seven days.
The Forney Flyer
Subsistence Living, Way Back When
Well, it's been forever since I've posted and I won't even begin to make excuses. But before I try...
over a year ago
Well, it's been forever since I've posted and I won't even begin to make excuses. But before I try to start posting stuff from East Africa, I figured I'd finish that series I had started over a year ago about Way Back When we used to live just north of the Arctic Circle in...
Londonist
Things To Do In London Between Christmas And New Year
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
a year ago
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London: March 2024
Photography, portraits and protest.
10 months ago
Photography, portraits and protest.
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
Around London In 11 Fish
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
11 months ago
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 16-17 December 2023
Festive pursuits, family events, and a huge horse show.
a year ago
Festive pursuits, family events, and a huge horse show.
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
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
Fourth Plinth Winning Artworks For 2026 And 2028 Announced
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
9 months ago
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
diamond geezer
Trafalgar 219
To celebrate/commemorate the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, here are 40...
2 months ago
To celebrate/commemorate the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, here are 40 Trafalgar-based lists.
Places called Trafalgar: cape in Spain, hamlet in Cornwall, town in Indiana, community in Nova Scotia, town in Victoria, waterfall in Dominica, village in South Africa,...
Londonist
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.
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...
diamond geezer
10 Centuries in 1 Day
One of the capital's best places to go walking is the City of London, and what's more they have the...
7 months ago
One of the capital's best places to go walking is the City of London, and what's more they have the wherewithal to have created all sorts of self-guided walks for you to follow. 21 downloadable walks are listed on their old website (although they're increasingly hard to find...
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...
diamond geezer
The 10,000th post
Over at Spitalfields Life, The Gentle Author kicked off his excellent blog with the following...
a year ago
Over at Spitalfields Life, The Gentle Author kicked off his excellent blog with the following promise...
"Over the coming days, weeks, months and years, I am going to write every day and tell you about life here in Spitalfields at the heart of London. How can I ever describe the...
Londonist
Two 24-Hour Tube Strikes Planned For April And May 2024
Aslef members say they're 'working harder and longer for less'.
9 months ago
Aslef members say they're 'working harder and longer for less'.
diamond geezer
Nazareth Gardens and Bethlehem House
To conclude this year's selection of festive streets, here are both ends of the donkey's...
12 months ago
To conclude this year's selection of festive streets, here are both ends of the donkey's journey.
Nazareth Gardens SE15
Nazareth Gardens. I realised none of this when I turned up.
Round the corner is a large space given over to parking surrounded by old flats and two...
Londonist
15 Things You Never Knew About Wembley Park
Steeped in history.
a year ago
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Trains Intersect with Everyday Life in Nostalgic Illustrations by Shinjiro Ogawa
Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms...
a year ago
Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms of daily life. And while their existence can be taken for granted, their many forms and colors add to the uniqueness of each neighborhood they traverse. Capturing the scenery of...
diamond geezer
Slowing the Bow Roundabout
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276,...
3 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...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
New Luxury Cruises in the Adriatic and Baltic Seas
3 months ago
Londonist
Ticket Alert: Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour Film Is Coming To London
Welcome to the Renaissance.
a year ago
Welcome to the Renaissance.
Londonist
Dickens Tourism In London Has Been A Thing Since Victorian Times
And you won't believe who started it, either...
a year ago
And you won't believe who started it, either...
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...
diamond geezer
Route 310
Route 310: Golders Green - Stamford Hill
Length of journey: 7 miles, 45 minutes
promised during the...
3 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...
Londonist
12 (Fairly) Festive Things To Do Near London: December 2023
Charming events within easy reach of London.
a year ago
Charming events within easy reach of London.
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
How (And Why) To Get Tickets To The London Railway Station You've Never Heard Of
London International (CIV).
10 months ago
London International (CIV).
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Most Exciting Travel Destinations in the U.S. to Visit
a year ago
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...
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Japanese Aqarium’s Flowchart Illustrates the Complex Relationships of Their Penguins
the Kyoto Aqarium’s 2020 Penguin Relationship Flowchart Penguins, the way they waddle around and...
a year ago
the Kyoto Aqarium’s 2020 Penguin Relationship Flowchart Penguins, the way they waddle around and protect their eggs, are often thought of as cute, cuddly and romantic. But those who observe them for extended periods know they have a dark side. Two aquariums in Japan, Kyoto...
diamond geezer
Another tube map typo
Would you like to see another tube map typo?
It's not a spelling mistake it's a missing word, if...
2 weeks ago
Would you like to see another tube map typo?
It's not a spelling mistake it's a missing word, if that helps you spot it. Nobody at TfL spotted it, nor anybody at the printers, or if they did they just thought never mind let's use these duff maps anyway.
I've checked other...
Londonist
9 Excellent Events Near London: January 2024
Dogs and beer - what more do you need?
12 months ago
Dogs and beer - what more do you need?
Londonist
Martin Luther King Gets A London Blue Plaque
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
11 months ago
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
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.
diamond geezer
Stafford
Gadabout: STAFFORD
Stafford is a West Midlands market town at the heart of its own county, located...
9 months ago
Gadabout: STAFFORD
Stafford is a West Midlands market town at the heart of its own county, located halfway between Crewe and Birmingham. It may be the same size as Crewe but it's over a millennium older, has much better shops and boasts a castle and some nice old buildings. It's...
diamond geezer
Ted Lasso in Richmond
A Nice Walk: Ted Lasso (1 kilometre)
Richmond as seen on Ted Lasso, nowhere near enough to make a...
2 months ago
A Nice Walk: Ted Lasso (1 kilometre)
Richmond as seen on Ted Lasso, nowhere near enough to make a day of it but a nice walk all the same.
n.b. I'm walking the route suggested on page 26 of the Visit Richmond Guide 2024/2025
Turn left out of the station and cross the road at...
Londonist
The New DLR Trains Could Have Toy Steering Wheels Installed
Best. News. Ever.
11 months ago
diamond geezer
Stratford & Bow
All the candidates for the upcoming General Election are now in place, so I thought I'd have a look...
6 months ago
All the candidates for the upcoming General Election are now in place, so I thought I'd have a look to see who mine are.
approximately equal electorates, which is terrible news for Wales (which is losing eight MPs) and good news for London (which is gaining two). Tower Hamlets...
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...
9 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
20 questions hide and seek
I have no idea if this'll work but let's give it a try.
20 questions hide and seek
I'll be there...
a year ago
I have no idea if this'll work but let's give it a try.
20 questions hide and seek
I'll be there from 10am to 11am.
I shall have Squeezy Pig with me.
Your questions go in this comments box. comments if(postComments['89451144195511'] != null){document.write(' (' +...
Londonist
The Age-Old Ritual Of Chair Lifting On Easter Monday
Blackheath Morris Men in Greenwich again this Easter.
9 months ago
Blackheath Morris Men in Greenwich again this Easter.
Londonist
Where (And When) To See Cherry Blossom In London
The best spots for snapping sakura.
9 months ago
The best spots for snapping sakura.
Cheese and Biscuits
Nord, Liverpool
In a town that already plays host to wonderful places like Wreckfish and Manifest, you'd think that...
a year ago
In a town that already plays host to wonderful places like Wreckfish and Manifest, you'd think that the opening of another reasonably-priced, seasonal modern British restaurant in the centre of Liverpool would be a shoo-in for success. With demand already proven for this kind of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Alaska Airlines Launches Flights From West Coast to Bahamas
a year ago
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Family-Friendly Vacations on Alabama's Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 10-11 February 2024
Super Bowl Sunday, Chinese New Year, and half term happenings.
10 months ago
Super Bowl Sunday, Chinese New Year, and half term happenings.
diamond geezer
Anorak Corner - bus edition
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual...
a year ago
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual spreadsheet listing the number of passengers using every London bus route and how many kilometres those buses travelled. Data is for April 2022 - March 2023. Comparisons are with the...
diamond geezer
18U 55V 51W
On Saturday I proposed that 18U Brondesbury Park NW6 7BT is London's highest lettered house....
a year ago
On Saturday I proposed that 18U Brondesbury Park NW6 7BT is London's highest lettered house. Nothing's going to beat a run of houses that goes 18J, 18K, 18L, 18M, 18N, 18P, 18Q, 18R, 18S, 18T, 18U, I thought.
Not so. There are in fact over 50 properties in the capital that can...
Londonist
A Tim Burton Exhibition Is Coming To The Design Museum In 2024
Illustrator, painter, photographer, author - what doesn't he do?
a year ago
Illustrator, painter, photographer, author - what doesn't he do?
Londonist
Superloop Gets A Bit Loopier With SL5 Bromley To Croydon Bus
New fast service for south London.
10 months ago
New fast service for south London.
diamond geezer
The December 2024 tube map
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
It's...
a week 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Tomona Matsukawa’s Realistic Paintings Reconstruct Fragments of Everyday Life
“Morning will come and my feelings will ease a little” (2024), Oil on linen mounted on panel...
8 months ago
“Morning will come and my feelings will ease a little” (2024), Oil on linen mounted on panel Kyoto-based artist Tomona Matsukawa creates realistic and somewhat dramatic oil paintings that are each inspired by conversations with other women of her generation, often strangers. The...
Londonist
Leicester Square And The Big Apple
London could have had a very weird monument to Isaac Newton.
10 months ago
London could have had a very weird monument to Isaac Newton.
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
a year ago
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
diamond geezer
Vine Street
VINE
STREET
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
VINE STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price:...
5 months ago
VINE
STREET
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
VINE STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £16
Length: 40m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
In this year-long feature my aim has been to write just over 1000 words about each of the properties on the Monopoly...
Londonist
A Rare Chance To Have Afternoon Tea Inside Greenwich's Painted Hall This March
For one day only.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Three Big Brother houses
The 20th series of Big Brother kicked off this week, with sixteen fresh housemate wannabes confined...
a year ago
The 20th series of Big Brother kicked off this week, with sixteen fresh housemate wannabes confined inside a brand new Big Brother House.
Where is the new Big Brother House hiding in plain sight in London's best-smelling cul-de-sac?
The first Big Brother house...
Londonist
The Modern Game Of Darts Was Invented In A London Pub In 1926
Although Henry VIII had a set of darts too.
11 months ago
Although Henry VIII had a set of darts too.
diamond geezer
Taking the piss
In an ideal world every TfL station would have toilet facilities but the truth is you're more likely...
a month ago
In an ideal world every TfL station would have toilet facilities but the truth is you're more likely to be caught short.
announce "bold plans to grow and improve toilet provision" because that'd be a very good thing. The press release promised "investment totalling £3m per year...
Londonist
20 Remarkable Photos Of London In 1992
Concorde, IRA bombs and the Chippendales.
a year ago
Concorde, IRA bombs and the Chippendales.
Londonist
London's Working Class History Celebrated With 8 Exciting New Projects
Historic England announces new funding.
10 months ago
Historic England announces new funding.
diamond geezer
The Wrythe
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a...
7 months ago
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a significant part of Sutton. Essentially it's North Carshalton but has had a separate identity since medieval times, actual residents since Victorian times and today forms a...
Londonist
Visit The Ankerwycke Yew, The "Last Surviving Witness To The Signing Of Magna Carta"
A remarkable tree on the edge of London.
a year ago
A remarkable tree on the edge of London.
Londonist
Never Before Seen Images Of The Rolling Stones To Go On Show In Notting Hill
27 rare pics of Mick, Keef and co.
10 months ago
27 rare pics of Mick, Keef and co.
Londonist
Things To Do This Week In London: 6-12 November 2023
Diwali celebrations, new karting and curling venues, and the Lord Mayor's Show.
a year ago
Diwali celebrations, new karting and curling venues, and the Lord Mayor's Show.
One from Nippon
The shoe that became a sock. And then a shoe again.
Stockholm, 1912
At 35° C it was an unusually hot day for Stockholm. Shizo Kanakuri stood at the...
a year ago
Stockholm, 1912
At 35° C it was an unusually hot day for Stockholm. Shizo Kanakuri stood at the start line of the marathon in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Shizo was carrying the hopes, dreams, and pride of Japan, a country attempting to become a “modern” nation.
There
diamond geezer
Algorithmic feed
I'm delighted to announce that diamond geezer now has a new non-chronological algorithm.
From...
10 months ago
I'm delighted to announce that diamond geezer now has a new non-chronological algorithm.
From today an automated algorithm will determine the order in which posts appear in your feed. This algorithm uses various factors to prioritise content with the goal of showing you the...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 1-7 January 2024
All our best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
All our best articles from the past week.
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,...
diamond geezer
#generalelection w/e 23/05/24
10 things that happened this week #generalelection
Data 2019 → 2024
Interest rates: 0.75% →...
7 months ago
10 things that happened this week #generalelection
Data 2019 → 2024
Interest rates: 0.75% → 5.25%
Inflation: 1.3% → 2.3% (via 11.1%)
Energy cap: £1179 → £1690 (via £4059)
Unemployment: 3.8% → 4.3%
Covid deaths: 0 → 230,000
FTSE: 7353 → 8367 (up 14%)
Opinion polls: 11% CON lead →...
Londonist
At A Glance: What's Happening With London's Transport In 2024
New trains! New stations! Major closures!
11 months ago
New trains! New stations! Major closures!
Londonist
This Free Quentin Blake Exhibition Lands In London At The End Of January
You can even buy the artworks.
11 months ago
You can even buy the artworks.
diamond geezer
nonetheless
In January 2020 I wrote a post listing all the places I'd bought a new Pet Shop Boys album. It...
7 months ago
In January 2020 I wrote a post listing all the places I'd bought a new Pet Shop Boys album. It started with me buying Please on cassette from Our Price in Watford High Street on 24th March 1986, and ended as follows.
Hotspot (24th January 2020)
Bought from: Sister Ray, Berwick...
Spoon & Tamago
Exploring Japanese Hell Through Art from the 12th to 19th Century
As a child, growing up in Japan, there was one book that terrified me. Luckily, I didn’t own it. The...
a year ago
As a child, growing up in Japan, there was one book that terrified me. Luckily, I didn’t own it. The red hardback sat on the bottom shelf in my friend’s room and every time I went over to play I could see it, out of the corner of my eye, staring me in the face. […]
Related...
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Christmas Day
Guided tours, river trips and Christmas lunch.
a year ago
Guided tours, river trips and Christmas lunch.
Londonist
Londonist Talks To Just Stop Oil
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
9 months ago
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
Spoon & Tamago
Komaeyu: Redesigning the Public Bath to Preserve Traditional Sento Culture
all photos by Ju Yeon Lee courtesy Schemata Architects The number of public baths, or sento as...
a year ago
all photos by Ju Yeon Lee courtesy Schemata Architects The number of public baths, or sento as they’re referred to in Japan, have been in chronic decline since the late 1960s. As the number of homes with their own private bath proliferated, public bathhouses shrank from over...
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Minimal and Tranquil Charcoal Drawings by Masahiko Minami
“TRYST” (2021) by Masahiko Minami. Charcoal and mixed-media on wood panel Masahiko Minami works with...
4 months ago
“TRYST” (2021) by Masahiko Minami. Charcoal and mixed-media on wood panel Masahiko Minami works with charcoal and graphite to create minimalist landscapes in dramatic contrast. At once both familiar and foreign, the landscapes present a tension between absence and depth,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Biltmore Arizona: an Iconic Southwest Resort
5 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Tips for Exploring L.A.'s Northern Shopping Districts
2 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Twenty Two Artists Created Over 120 Artworks Throughout the Tokyo Offices of GREE
When Japanese internet media company GREE relocated offices last year, they wanted to do something...
a year ago
When Japanese internet media company GREE relocated offices last year, they wanted to do something special; something that would capture the unique creativity and artistic drive behind many of their employees. So the company worked with art agency TokyoDex and the architecural...
diamond geezer
Tower Hamlets Town Hall
Over the years I've been round ten London borough town halls as part of Open House but never my own....
a year ago
Over the years I've been round ten London borough town halls as part of Open House but never my own. That's because Tower Hamlets' was a hired fortress close to the mouth of the Blackwall Tunnel and no great architectural shakes. But the council's just moved into a new base in...
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Nanyang Blossom, Knightsbridge
For better or worse, every moment spent eating out in London is an education, and on a warm Tuesday...
5 months ago
For better or worse, every moment spent eating out in London is an education, and on a warm Tuesday evening last week I went to Knightsbridge to learn about Nanyang cuisine. It has a somewhat fluid definition, as these things often do, but generally refers to food from SE China...
diamond geezer
Emails from 2004
Today I thought I'd dig into my inbox archive and bring you ten emails I was sent in October 2004....
a month ago
Today I thought I'd dig into my inbox archive and bring you ten emails I was sent in October 2004. Twenty years ago was a different time.
From londonmobs (1/10/04)
(and that was it, no further London flashmobs were organised)
cc-ed from my work address (5/10/04)
The...
diamond geezer
S2
This is the S2, a bus which ran between Clapton and my neck of the woods between 1970 and 2008, back...
9 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
United To Fly New Nonstop Flights to East Asia This Fall
a year ago
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ways to Experience Minnesota's Scandinavian Heritage
7 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
The British Virgin Islands Is Your Ultimate Vacation Destination
a year 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Hokusai-Inspired Erasers Reveal Mt. Fuji the More They Get Used
Erasers are usually used to delete mistakes. And as they get worn down, they become dirty or harder...
6 months ago
Erasers are usually used to delete mistakes. And as they get worn down, they become dirty or harder to hold. By nature, they are not fun to use. But Japanese stationery fim PLUS is on a mission to reverse that mentality with erasers inspired by the iconic woodblock prints of...
Londonist
More Tube Strikes For London This October
Dispute over staff cuts and working conditions.
a year ago
Dispute over staff cuts and working conditions.
Spoon & Tamago
Kenji Yanobe’s BIG CAT BANG is Now on Display at Ginza Six
Space cats in astronaut suits, ultraman figurines reenacting the beginning of the universe, and a...
8 months ago
Space cats in astronaut suits, ultraman figurines reenacting the beginning of the universe, and a tribute to Taro Okamoto’s iconic Statue of the Sun sculpture. There’s a lot to love about artist Kenji Yanobe’s new installation, BIG CAT BANG, and it’s now on view to the public...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 13-19 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
London's Best Black Friday Theatre Offers
Ballet, opera, musicals and more.
a year ago
Ballet, opera, musicals and more.
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.
Londonist
The No Trousers Tube Ride Returns To London This Weekend
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
11 months ago
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
diamond geezer
A quiz
Mystery quiz
Suggestions and answers in the comments box please.
one suggestion and one guess each,...
a year ago
Mystery quiz
Suggestions and answers in the comments box please.
one suggestion and one guess each, thanks.
1) aftermaths
2) arrow
3) banter
4) braindamaged
5) cheering
6) commensuration
7) condor
8) dance
9) eely
10) embryo
11) feline
12) genial
13) hamlet
14) hearing
15)...
Londonist
Greater London To Get First New Borough In 60 Years
Live in Berkshire? You might soon be a Londoner!
8 months ago
Live in Berkshire? You might soon be a Londoner!
Londonist
Crown And Coronation: Regal Light Show To Be Projected Onto Tower Of London
This one will be popular - and tickets are available now!
a year ago
This one will be popular - and tickets are available now!
Londonist
An Entire Barbra Streisand Season Is Coming To North London
A star is celebrated.
10 months ago
Londonist
Beavers Are Back In London For The First Time In 400 Years
This'll bring a toothy grin to your face.
a year ago
This'll bring a toothy grin to your face.
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Gibraltar
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
11 months ago
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
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.
diamond geezer
Langley Vale WW1 Centenary Wood
Yesterday a 12 mile walk from Redhill to Epsom morphed abruptly into a 13 mile walk from Redhill to...
11 months ago
Yesterday a 12 mile walk from Redhill to Epsom morphed abruptly into a 13 mile walk from Redhill to Leatherhead. And so I found myself blundering unexpectedly through Langley Vale, England's WW1 Centenary Wood.
a mile to the south of Epsom racecourse. It's one of four Centenary...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Redeem AmEx Membership Rewards Points for Top Value
a year ago
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...
Londonist
Previously Off-Limits Areas Of Buckingham Palace To Open To The Public
Including the room behind that world-famous balcony.
8 months ago
Including the room behind that world-famous balcony.
Londonist
London Transport Museum Is Throwing A Special Friday Late For Students
London Calling takes place on 6 October.
a year ago
London Calling takes place on 6 October.
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Luxury Hotels in California You Should Know About
10 months ago
diamond geezer
The Count 2024
For twenty-one consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
10 months ago
For twenty-one consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a stats-tastic 28-day feature called The Count. You therefore won't be surprised to hear that I intend to do exactly the same again this year....
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Guide to D.C. for Music Lovers by Local Musician Neffy
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Green Link Walk 4
I've now completed London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st...
9 months ago
I've now completed London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st March. If you need a map try here, if you need an app try here, if you want 45 pages of walking instructions try here, and if you're reading this several months in the future try...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 11-12 November 2023
The Lord Mayor's Show, music festivals, Diwali celebrations and more.
a year ago
The Lord Mayor's Show, music festivals, Diwali celebrations and more.
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.
diamond geezer
Westminster 25
Silver Jubilee: Westminster
Westminster's Jubilee line platforms opened 25 years ago today on 22nd...
13 hours ago
Silver Jubilee: Westminster
Westminster's Jubilee line platforms opened 25 years ago today on 22nd December 1999.
Westminster station - a clickable choose-your-own adventure
(it is genuinely clickable - give it a go!)
(1) You have arrived on the westbound Jubilee line...
Londonist
See The '12 Days Of Christmas' Decorations In Duke Of York Square
"...And a partridge in a pear tree."
a year ago
"...And a partridge in a pear tree."
diamond geezer
Kempton Park
One Stop Beyond: Kempton Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
3 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Kempton Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Kempton Park, one stop beyond Hampton on the Shepperton line, a station which exists solely because of the...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 29 January-4 February 2024
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
10 months ago
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
Londonist
Modern London Is Beautiful In This New Photographic Book
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
a year ago
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
diamond geezer
September events diary 2024
It's almost September again but never fear, London's putting on a last flurry of events, activities...
3 months ago
It's almost September again but never fear, London's putting on a last flurry of events, activities and happenings before the nights draw in and we're all invited. Here's my weekend-by-weekend guide to free September delights.
All month
Totally Thames (Sep 1-30): Once again a...
Londonist
Brewery Taprooms In London: A List Of Every Single One Of 'Em
Have we got brews for you.
a year ago
Have we got brews for you.
The Forney Flyer
Run For Radios
This week our whole family ran for radios in support of Every Village. If you're not familiar with...
over a year ago
This week our whole family ran for radios in support of Every Village. If you're not familiar with them, take a moment to check them out now.
Joy and the kids walked a brisk (and dizzying) 32 laps around our yard...
...which not coincidentally equals a solid 5K!
As I've...
diamond geezer
RM70
Every 10 years the Routemaster Association likes to take over Finsbury Park with a mass line-up of...
5 months ago
Every 10 years the Routemaster Association likes to take over Finsbury Park with a mass line-up of London's favourite heritage vehicle, the RM bus. Unfortunately this year Haringey council made things difficult so the 70th anniversary bash, RM70, had to find a different home....
diamond geezer
B2024
This is the road of the year, the B2024.
There was once an A2024 heading east out of Chichester,...
11 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...
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.
Londonist
SWANA Clubs In London, And How They Give Me A Sense Of Cultural Identity
Finding yourself in the rhythmic pulse of Arabian music.
10 months ago
Finding yourself in the rhythmic pulse of Arabian music.
Londonist
Where To Watch The Six Nations 2024 In London
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
11 months ago
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
Spoon & Tamago
60-Year-Old Machiya Adapted into Hender Scheme’s New Osaka Flagship
All images © toha courtesy DDAA Hender Scheme’s flagship store in Kansai is an adaptive reuse of a...
a year ago
All images © toha courtesy DDAA Hender Scheme’s flagship store in Kansai is an adaptive reuse of a sixty-plus-year-old one-story wooden house near Umeda Station in Osaka. With a spacious area of around 175m² and impressive high ceilings, the store has been designed to reflect...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Best Fall Getaways: 3 American Cities You Must Visit
6 months ago
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!
diamond geezer
Canary Wharf 25
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail...
3 months ago
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail station (that's 2) but the Jubilee line station which opened mid-afternoon on Friday 17th September 1999.
The relentless commercialisation of Canary Wharf station
"Twenty banks of...
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...
Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Piccadilly's Egyptian Hall
London's most beautiful pastiche?
9 months ago
London's most beautiful pastiche?
Spoon & Tamago
A Temporary Rooftop Forest Replaces Fukuoka’s Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine During Renovations
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will...
a year ago
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will undergo a massive renovation beginning in May of 2023. And for three years the honden main hall will be completely closed off to the roughly 10 million visitors who come to the...
diamond geezer
10 things to see on the Liberty line
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what...
3 weeks ago
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what the Liberty line is all about. So here's my tip-top tourist guide to help you find the finest places in the locality, some of which are actually rather fine.
10 things to see on...
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Stratford
Eats in E20.
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...
Londonist
The Crazy-Reasonably Priced Cafe Hidden In A Waterloo Bus Garage
Next stop: a hearty lunch for as little at £4!
11 months ago
Next stop: a hearty lunch for as little at £4!
AFAR Media - Travel...
Fort Myers: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures
6 months ago
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Peckham Cellars, Peckham
Though it's always flattering to be invited to try the latest and greatest of London restaurants,...
over a year ago
Though it's always flattering to be invited to try the latest and greatest of London restaurants, and more often than not I'm happy to play a part in the tricky first few weeks of a new operation to help get it off the ground, or to refocus attention on an established place...
Spoon & Tamago
A Spoon & Tamago Guide to Ishikawa Prefecture
this post was sponsored by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau This travel guide originally...
11 months ago
this post was sponsored by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau This travel guide originally appeared in February 2023 and ever since Covid restrictions were lifted, Ishikawa prefecture has seen a steady climb in tourism. However, the tragic Noto Earthquake at the beginning of...
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
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...
The Forney Flyer
Recent Stuff
A few weeks ago we (fellow MAF pilot Andrew and I) landed at Amudat airstrip for the first time in a...
over a year ago
A few weeks ago we (fellow MAF pilot Andrew and I) landed at Amudat airstrip for the first time in a very long time (below).
Over the past year and a half quite a few of the upcountry airstrips in Uganda (especially in Karamoja) deteriorated so badly that we had to stop using...
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..."
10 months ago
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."