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...
Spoon & Tamago
Local Noto Businesses that You Can Support
Roughly 6000 people remain in temporary evacuation shelters ever since the Noto Earthquake on...
11 months ago
Roughly 6000 people remain in temporary evacuation shelters ever since the Noto Earthquake on January 1st upended life for so many. And while the recovery is long and arduous, many are doing what they can to return to normal and that includes the many local businesses in the Noto...
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
Unblogged May
31 unblogged things I did in May
Wed 1: The latest exhibition at The Curve gallery at the Barbican...
7 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in May
Wed 1: The latest exhibition at The Curve gallery at the Barbican is dark and almost empty apart from 20 scant full-frontal paintings. I completely missed the subtext ("The exhibition highlights how The Curve’s shape reflects the Arabic letter...
Londonist
19 Images That Tell The Vivid History Of The South Bank
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
a year ago
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
diamond geezer
Dunton Green
One Stop Beyond: Dunton Green
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
a month ago
One Stop Beyond: Dunton Green
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 Dunton Green, one stop beyond Knockholt on the Sevenoaks line, a disparate village at the foot of the North Downs...
Londonist
Christmas Transport In London: What's Running, What's Closed, And What About Those Strikes?
Fingers crossed we have a strike-free festive period...
a year ago
Fingers crossed we have a strike-free festive period...
diamond geezer
25 years of hurt
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a...
4 months ago
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a century ago?
small part of the UK mainland in south Devon and Cornwall, arriving over Land's End at 11:10am and departing near Salcombe five minutes later. All you had to do to...
Londonist
BBC's Desert Island Discs Announces Live Palladium Shows
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
11 months ago
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
Londonist
Even More Of London's Crappiest Benches
When London's seats fail to bring their A game.
a year ago
When London's seats fail to bring their A game.
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.
a year ago
The best ways to spend the last weekend of 2023 in the capital.
Londonist
Time Travel Back To 17th Century London - With This Royalist Reenactment Along The Mall
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
a year ago
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Hammersmith And City Line
It's London's newest line; or second-oldest.
11 months ago
It's London's newest line; or second-oldest.
diamond geezer
Anorak corner (rail edition)
Anorak Corner [National Rail edition]
passenger data from across Britain's railway network, this...
a month ago
Anorak Corner [National Rail edition]
passenger data from across Britain's railway network, this batch covering the period April 2023 to March 2024.
The UK's ten busiest National Rail stations (2023/24) (with changes since 2022/23)
1) -- Liverpool Street (95m)
2) -- Paddington...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Things to Know Before Seeing a Broadway Show in New York City
a year ago
diamond geezer
Building churches on housing estates
When did they stop building churches on housing estates?
Time was when even the smallest village...
6 months ago
When did they stop building churches on housing estates?
Time was when even the smallest village had a church, such was the domination of religion in our society. As towns and suburbs grew they too were always built with churches, often of multiple denominations, these an...
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
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!
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 23-29 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 19-25 February 2024
7 days of London wrapped up in a neat little package.
10 months ago
7 days of London wrapped up in a neat little package.
Londonist
Stratford Sphere Nixed By Mayor: But Where Else Could They Build It?
Where to put a giant glowing sphere?
a year ago
Where to put a giant glowing sphere?
Londonist
London's Curious Collection Of Golden Statues
Golden wonders.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Wildlife & Wellbeing Trail
#10001 ✅ Places
Footpath 47, the desolate estuarine footpath at Barking Riverside. In good news...
a year ago
#10001 ✅ Places
Footpath 47, the desolate estuarine footpath at Barking Riverside. In good news it's still there and ten thousand flats haven't yet encroached close enough to wreck it. But that day draws closer, and a couple of recent changes are a hint that local developers are...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Amsterdam Plans to Ban Large Cruise Ships: What to Expect
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Fender’s First Ever Flagship Store by Klein-Dytham Architecture
Fender, the iconic guitar brand, has opened its first-ever flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, riding...
a year ago
Fender, the iconic guitar brand, has opened its first-ever flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, riding on the wave of soaring demand of Guitars during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Related posts:
House Tour: Yoyogi Artist Studio (with a hidden bed)
#thatPOWER | Will.i.am’s new music...
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Uenosuke Shitanosuke: Twin Tumblers that Fit Perfectly Together
For all the preaching on the health benefits of drinking more water, very few tools help us actually...
a year ago
For all the preaching on the health benefits of drinking more water, very few tools help us actually achieve this. So when Taro Mukasa, an illustrator and toy designer at creative agency Zariganiworks came across a manga panel in which the protagonist declares that his hobby is...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 2-3 March 2024
Foodie events, live music, and last chance to see a flower festival before it closes.
10 months ago
Foodie events, live music, and last chance to see a flower festival before it closes.
Londonist
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.
diamond geezer
Ruby Tuesday Drive
As unexpected street names go, this is right up there.
And there are ten more where that came...
7 months ago
As unexpected street names go, this is right up there.
And there are ten more where that came from.
Dartford not far from the QE2 Bridge. We're in Dartford because that's where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards grew up, met and went on to form the Rolling Stones. And we're here...
Londonist
7 Places To See Gorgeous Autumn Leaves In London
Autumnal walks against a golden backdrop.
a year ago
Autumnal walks against a golden backdrop.
diamond geezer
Central line upgrade
#10002 ✅ Journeys
January 2020 TfL started withdrawing rolling stock from the Central line as part...
a year ago
#10002 ✅ Journeys
January 2020 TfL started withdrawing rolling stock from the Central line as part of an ongoing programme of refurbishment. All the motors need replacing, plus this offered the additional opportunity to add wheelchair spaces, LED lighting, CCTV and improved...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of AutoCamp Zion in Virgin, Utah
a year ago
diamond geezer
10 times TV crews came to Croxley Green
10 times that TV crews came to Croxley Green
1) Metro-land (1973): In this iconic one-off...
6 months ago
10 times that TV crews came to Croxley Green
1) Metro-land (1973): In this iconic one-off documentary Sir John Betjeman came to observe the Croxley Revels, "a tradition that stretches back to 1952". Actually if you watch carefully he's never in shot, he merely provided a...
Londonist
A Glimpse Of London's Future, From 1924
Trains over Tower Bridge, airships from Westminster...
a year ago
Trains over Tower Bridge, airships from Westminster...
The Forney Flyer
And Here We Go Trying Yet Again...
There are so many good reasons/excuses I could give you as to why I did just one blog post last...
over a year ago
There are so many good reasons/excuses I could give you as to why I did just one blog post last June, with indications that I would start consistently blogging again, and then I disappeared... again. I could tell you that life has been super crazy busy, and that by...
Herbert Lui
Disorientation
When you first land in a new place, where you don’t speak the language, you’re probably going to...
3 weeks ago
When you first land in a new place, where you don’t speak the language, you’re probably going to make some mistakes. You’ll get in the wrong line at the airport. Queue on the wrong side of the escalator. Realize you’ve unintentionally broken etiquette or convention of some sort....
diamond geezer
Old Bexley & Sidcup
I've not been especially balanced in my recent reporting of the capital.
• Yesterday I went to...
7 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...
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
Post Office Tower
When it opened anyone could pay four shillings to take a lift to the top of the Post Office Tower,...
3 months ago
When it opened anyone could pay four shillings to take a lift to the top of the Post Office Tower, and in that first year over a million people took up the offer. But the viewing platforms closed in 1971 following a terrorist explosion and the famous revolving restaurant closed...
Londonist
Walking With The Snowman: Free Art Trail Comes To Fleet Street This Christmas
We're walking in the aaaiiiiiiir.
a year ago
We're walking in the aaaiiiiiiir.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Road Trip in Chile's Lake District with Hikes & Hot Springs
a week ago
Londonist
Martin Luther King Gets A London Blue Plaque
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
11 months ago
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
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 Limit
I have not yet faced the coming of The Limit. It comes to most of us, some sooner than others, a...
a year ago
I have not yet faced the coming of The Limit. It comes to most of us, some sooner than others, a one-way, permanent restriction after which life is never quite so free again.
I'm not trying to be maudlin here, nor am I building up to the revelation that The Limit has come to...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 16-22 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Brent Cross West, West and East
The new Brent Cross West station serves two very different communities either side of the tracks....
a year ago
The new Brent Cross West station serves two very different communities either side of the tracks. You could call them Brent Cross West West and Brent Cross West East. Neither is buzzing with potential passengers.
Brent Cross West West is commercial and car-dominated, as befits...
Spoon & Tamago
Shibuya Unveils Graphics Discouraging Halloween Parties in Their Ward
After the tragic and fatal Halloween crowd crush that occured in Seoul last year, Tokyo’s Shibuya...
a year ago
After the tragic and fatal Halloween crowd crush that occured in Seoul last year, Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, which has increasingly become a go-to spot for Halloween parties—often with dangerous consequences—is taking preemptive measures to discourage people from congregating in their...
Londonist
5 Historic Castles To Visit In Essex
Including one that's a fake.
9 months ago
Including one that's a fake.
diamond geezer
Where Have You Been This Weekend?
It's been a busy weekend.
It must be the highlight of your weekend, not just something you also...
6 months ago
It's been a busy weekend.
It must be the highlight of your weekend, not just something you also did.
Where have diamond geezer readers been this weekend?
stayed indoors
Spent Monday to Friday walking the Cotswold Way so happy to have a rest this weekend.
sheepdog
to the...
diamond geezer
The zone 1 challenge
It's time once again to go on a pointlessly challenging train journey.
How many zone 1 stations can...
2 months ago
It's time once again to go on a pointlessly challenging train journey.
How many zone 1 stations can you travel through without repeating any?
And there are 72 zone 1 stations altogether, so it's going to be a long journey.
It's perhaps best to think of the question as...
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...
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...
diamond geezer
Rayners Lane
Four tube stations are named after country lanes, the longest of which is Rayners Lane in Harrow....
2 months ago
Four tube stations are named after country lanes, the longest of which is Rayners Lane in Harrow. What's more it still follows exactly the same meandering path across two miles of suburbia as it did when everything was fields. So I've walked it.
entirely undeveloped agricultural...
Londonist
Is This The Oldest Surviving Poster On The Tube Network?
The Otrivine gnome is not to be sniffed at.
11 months ago
The Otrivine gnome is not to be sniffed at.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Guide for Solo Travelers: Exploring This Beach Destination
7 months ago
Londonist
Secrets Of Tower Bridge
A behind the scenes tour of one of London's great icons.
a year ago
A behind the scenes tour of one of London's great icons.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 11-17 March 2024
Our best articles from the past week.
9 months ago
Our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
The village quiz
From: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 4
To: Diamond Geezer Content Coordination Tsar
As a...
a year ago
From: Diamond Geezer Content Producing Minion 4
To: Diamond Geezer Content Coordination Tsar
As a result of my unexpected overnight stay I ended up being pressganged into the village quiz instead. This annual event brings the whole community together as teams of six from the...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 18-24 March 2024
Our best articles from the past week.
9 months ago
Our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
How deep is Crossrail?
In the last week TfL have refused to answer two freedom of Information requests both asking the same...
12 months ago
In the last week TfL have refused to answer two freedom of Information requests both asking the same thing. How deep are Crossrail stations?
geology student at UCL attempting to complete an air quality project and the other just wanted a data dump.
I am looking for the platform...
Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Piccadilly's Egyptian Hall
London's most beautiful pastiche?
10 months ago
London's most beautiful pastiche?
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 Great All-Inclusive Hyatt Resorts in Mexico & Caribbean
a year ago
Londonist
Diwali Celebrations Fill Trafalgar Square At The End Of October
Dancing, yoga, comedy puppets - and much more!
a year ago
Dancing, yoga, comedy puppets - and much more!
Londonist
Hammersmith Bridge Is Reopening To Cyclists... But Only For 10 Weeks
And it's got something to do with West Ham fans.
10 months ago
And it's got something to do with West Ham fans.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Upgrading to Lufthansa Allegris’ New Business Class
5 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
‘Puddle’ Are a Series of Flower Vessels Inspired by Puddles of Water
Simple and common acts of nature often inspire brilliant design. Such is the case with “Puddle,” a...
8 months ago
Simple and common acts of nature often inspire brilliant design. Such is the case with “Puddle,” a series of flower vessels that mimic a puddle of water. Using properties of transparency and surface tension, these whimsical vessels create the illusion of a single plant growing...
diamond geezer
River Wogebourne
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead...
7 months ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead (5 miles)
The Wogebourne is a five mile tributary of the River Thames in the southeast London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, that flows generally in a northeasterly direction,...
Londonist
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
Best Of Londonist: 4-10 September 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Spoon & Tamago
The Unforgettable Landscapes of Ippan Nakamura’s World of Illustrations
All images courtesy of Nakamura Ippan | used with permission Nakamura Ippan, a non-binary artist...
a year ago
All images courtesy of Nakamura Ippan | used with permission Nakamura Ippan, a non-binary artist known for their web comic series ‘Jimocoro‘ and ‘Minna no Gohan‘, held their first solo exhibition last month in Tokyo. Art enthusiasts had the opportunity to witness Nakamura’s...
Spoon & Tamago
Discarded Tatami Mats are Reborn as Contemporary Furniture
Tatami mats are traditional Japanese flooring made from sewn-together igusa grass. But despite their...
a year ago
Tatami mats are traditional Japanese flooring made from sewn-together igusa grass. But despite their lovely aroma and natural resistance to mold, their usage has consistently declined as modern consumers opt for more contemporary living choices. The Tatami ReFab Project is an...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Outdoor Adventures Near Marriott Hotels in Florida
5 months ago
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
A Brief History Of The Central Line
A chronology of the red line.
a year ago
A chronology of the red line.
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Travel Itinerary Exploring the Roman Empire in Germany
7 months ago
Londonist
Tips For Australians In London - From An Australian In London
Zoë Coombs Marr advises.
a year 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
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.
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Photographer Meticulously Recreates Images of Chickens Painted by Edo-Era Artist Ito Jakuchu
Edo-era painter Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800) excelled at capturing the flora and fauna of the natural...
6 months ago
Edo-era painter Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800) excelled at capturing the flora and fauna of the natural world, a skill that extended to remarkable depictions of birds. In particular, chickens were a common theme for the artist and it was said that Jakuchu owned many of them, and allowed...
diamond geezer
Havant
Until yesterday I hadn't been to Havant.
Havant is a large town in southeast Hampshire on the way...
4 months ago
Until yesterday I hadn't been to Havant.
Havant is a large town in southeast Hampshire on the way to Portsmouth.
They Havant got many old buildings because most of the town burnt in a fire in 1760. Only the church and a row of cottages survived.
St Faith's and they found...
Londonist
Superloop Gets A Bit Loopier With SL5 Bromley To Croydon Bus
New fast service for south London.
11 months ago
New fast service for south London.
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."
diamond geezer
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
That's largest by diameter.
'List of largest clock faces' (so...
a year ago
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
That's largest by diameter.
'List of largest clock faces' (so if that's wrong, this is wrong)
5) Manchester Town Hall
Diameter of clockface: 4.8m
Area of clockface: 18.1m²
Length of hands: 2.4m/1.8m
Number of clockfaces: 4
First operated: New...
Londonist
"The Tube Is Ripe For Comedy - So I Wrote A Play About It"
Chances are you'll recognise some of the characters in Cockfosters.
a year ago
Chances are you'll recognise some of the characters in Cockfosters.
Londonist
Things To Do In London This Autumn
Your September to November 2023 calendar, sorted.
a year ago
Your September to November 2023 calendar, sorted.
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
The Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Drives Into London This Week
Merry fizz-mas!
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Winter Resorts and Activities in Central Minnesota
a month ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Toba, St James
It's a strange part of town, is St James. Essentially a lesser-known southern extension of Mayfair,...
a year ago
It's a strange part of town, is St James. Essentially a lesser-known southern extension of Mayfair, it's barely a half mile square and yet contains quite a high density of fancy hotels (Duke's, the Stafford, the Ritz), private members' clubs and the odd royal palace. Whereas some...
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...
Londonist
Lord Mayor's Show 2023: When And Where Is It, And What's Happening?
Spend the day marking an ancient London tradition dating back to 1215.
a year ago
Spend the day marking an ancient London tradition dating back to 1215.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 1-7 April 2024
Our top stories from the last seven days.
9 months ago
Our top stories from the last seven days.
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
Competition! Win Two Hospitality Tickets To Chelsea F.C. Women v Spurs
The luxurious Harris Suite awaits...
a year ago
The luxurious Harris Suite awaits...
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...
8 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Learn About Jewish History in Germany
7 months ago
Londonist
Pick Your Own Christmas Tree At These Festive Farms In And Around London
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
a year ago
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
Londonist
Miracle At Henrietta: The Christmassiest Bar In London
It's Kiiiiiiiitschmas!
a year ago
Londonist
29 Things To Do In London On 29 February
Use your extra day of 2024 wisely.
11 months ago
Use your extra day of 2024 wisely.
Londonist
A Farewell To Wilko
"I thought this was the new Woolworths to be honest."
a year ago
"I thought this was the new Woolworths to be honest."
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...
7 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Noriko Sugiyama Transforms Old Kimono Into Luxurious Landscapes
all images courtesy Noriko Sugiyama Noriko Sugiyama is a self-taught artist who works with discarded...
11 months ago
all images courtesy Noriko Sugiyama Noriko Sugiyama is a self-taught artist who works with discarded kimono and obi, which she masterfully upcylces to create landscapes brimming with energy and hope. But her path to artistry has been anything but conventional. Now at the age of...
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...
Londonist
Expect To Hear Lots More Buskers In Tube Stations Over The Next 2 Weeks
It's the X Factor of the London Underground.
10 months ago
It's the X Factor of the London Underground.
diamond geezer
Visit London bolx
Visit London is the flagship brand charged with attracting tourists to the capital, and in this we...
a month ago
Visit London is the flagship brand charged with attracting tourists to the capital, and in this we wish them well. But they do write some absolute bolx.
This was their first tweet this month.
November has arrived and that can only mean one thing... a magical London...
Herbert Lui
Friends pay full price
Several months ago, I met a new friend and gave them a copy of Creative Doing as a gift. They...
2 weeks ago
Several months ago, I met a new friend and gave them a copy of Creative Doing as a gift. They responded that they would buy another copy, saying, “Friends pay full price.” It was refreshing, the complete flip of the usual friends and family discount. (Or in my case, giving gift...
Londonist
The Ballot For Wimbledon 2024 Is Now Open
Ace!
a year ago
Londonist
London's Alleyway Pubs: 13 Of The Best
Some of the finest ye olde pubs in London.
10 months ago
Some of the finest ye olde pubs in London.
diamond geezer
Waverley
This is Waverley, the world's last seagoing paddle steamer.
She's currently on a two week foray...
3 months ago
This is Waverley, the world's last seagoing paddle steamer.
She's currently on a two week foray up and down the Thames Estuary and adjacent coasts. And if you'd been in Gravesend on Sunday evening you could have enjoyed a two-hour voyage up the estuary to Tower Bridge for just...
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Kumu in Kanazawa Connects People and Places
all photos by takumi ota The Japanese word kumu is a verb with many nuances. Depending on the...
11 months ago
all photos by takumi ota The Japanese word kumu is a verb with many nuances. Depending on the context, kumu can mean “to join,” “to draw out,” or “to pour.” In that sense, it was the perfect name for a hotel that embodies connection and hospitality: connecting people with a...
Londonist
London's Cemetery For Heroic Animals
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
a year ago
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
Londonist
'Eatalong' With Kevin Mac Allister At These Special Home Alone Screenings
Including a dish called a 'Filthy Animals'.
a year ago
Including a dish called a 'Filthy Animals'.
The Forney Flyer
Heading North, Way Back When...
As promised, I'm continuing from my previous post about way back when...
After I graduated from...
over a year ago
As promised, I'm continuing from my previous post about way back when...
After I graduated from University and flight school, we briefly moved to Oregon as we prepared for future, cross-cultural work/ministry. That fall I had the opportunity to go on a short vision trip to a...
Cheese and Biscuits
Solo, Aughton
When I was first out of university, trying to decide what to do with my life, and with no long term...
10 months ago
When I was first out of university, trying to decide what to do with my life, and with no long term plan other than the fact I knew - eventually - I wanted to move to London and stay there, I got a job as a cashier at Ormskirk Abbey National. Ormskirk is ostensibly a market town,...
diamond geezer
Revisiting Northwall Road
Yesterday was one of the ten busiest days ever on this blog. Almost ten thousand people turned...
11 months ago
Yesterday was one of the ten busiest days ever on this blog. Almost ten thousand people turned up.
• When an American website got excited about the location of pylons in London they linked to something I'd written 4 days earlier. That was my 3rd best ever day.
American website...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Blind Bull, Little Hucklow
A large menu is rarely a good sign, and I have to admit a part of my heart sank when I sat down at...
4 months ago
A large menu is rarely a good sign, and I have to admit a part of my heart sank when I sat down at the Blind Bull and counted 12 items in the starters section, 6 mains, 3 sides and 5 desserts (even if I'm being kind and counting all the ice creams as one) - fully 26 dishes...
Londonist
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
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...
Londonist
Where Is The Heart Of London?
Answer: everywhere.
11 months ago
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...
Discover Portugal’s Wellness Havens with TAP Air’s Stopover
a month ago
Spoon & Tamago
The Evolution of Meiji Era Craftsmanship, On Full Display in Tokyo
It’s hard to overstate the cataclysmic impact that the Meiji Restoriation had on Japan. The Meiji...
a year ago
It’s hard to overstate the cataclysmic impact that the Meiji Restoriation had on Japan. The Meiji period, defined as the period between 1868 and 1912, followed what was nearly 300 years of almost complete isolation from the globe. Craftsmen and artists who had previously served...
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...
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
Mesmerising Shots Of London From Above At Christmas
Ding dong merrily on (very) high.
a year ago
Ding dong merrily on (very) high.
diamond geezer
Denham Green
As unexpected street names go, this is right up there.
n.b. there are four...
7 months ago
As unexpected street names go, this is right up there.
n.b. there are four Denhams.
Specifically Stanley Kubrick Road is in Denham Green.
Three things to see in Denham Green
1) Denham Film Studios
Alexander Korda opened his film studios just north of Denham in 1935. Some...
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Most Exciting Travel Destinations in the U.S. to Visit
a year ago
diamond geezer
The 24th pub on the A24
Yesterday I attempted to buy a pint in the 24th pub on the A24. Let's see how I did.
A24 is a major...
a year ago
Yesterday I attempted to buy a pint in the 24th pub on the A24. Let's see how I did.
A24 is a major trunk road linking London to Worthing in Sussex. It starts outside Clapham Common tube station and follows the Northern line down to Morden, then continues through Cheam, Epsom,...
Londonist
There's A Place Called Bovril Castle In South London
And there was once a second one, too.
10 months ago
And there was once a second one, too.
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, a hotel in Bali, Indonesia
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Kirie Artist Lito Celebrates Tanabata with Handcut Leaves
Today is Tanabata (七夕, meaning “Evening of the seventh”), a Japanese festival celebrating the...
5 months ago
Today is Tanabata (七夕, meaning “Evening of the seventh”), a Japanese festival celebrating the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh...
diamond geezer
Snowflakes
A lot has been added to the tube map in recent years. Accessibility blobs, walking connections,...
a year ago
A lot has been added to the tube map in recent years. Accessibility blobs, walking connections, cablecars, trams, river piers and most recently Thameslink, all have been shoehorned into an increasingly cluttered diagram. But whatever ridiculous woke nonsense have they added...
diamond geezer
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...
diamond geezer
Some transport news
Some transport news
Overground news
It's only accessible via QR code so it's not that...
5 months ago
Some transport news
Overground news
It's only accessible via QR code so it's not that accessible, but I clicked through and discovered the URL is vin.cloud.gomedia.io/HOXTON so you can check it out too. The homescreen is a list of the next three departures and their expected...
Londonist
Around London In 11 Fish
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
11 months ago
Sculptures, puns and some actual real fish.
diamond geezer
Freshwater fish quiz
Freshwater fish quiz
(quiz complete... all answers now in the comments box)
1) roost
2) plump
3)...
8 months ago
Freshwater fish quiz
(quiz complete... all answers now in the comments box)
1) roost
2) plump
3) long spear
4) below tenor
5) director Ken
6) former Sussex MP
7) Surrey MP
8) vehicle (quiet)
9) phone company (large)
10) 10 swiss
11) 60 secs at present
12) 500 + 1
13) 1000...
Londonist
Leadenhall Market Is Wrapped In Giant Purple Tentacles Again
And other Halloweeny fun to be had, too.
a year ago
And other Halloweeny fun to be had, too.
Spoon & Tamago
Creatures of the Echigo Sea Emerge from Straw in the 2023 Wara Art Festival
Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days, brighter moons and bountiful...
a year ago
Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days, brighter moons and bountiful harvests. Niigata prefecture, in Northern Japan, is known for its rice paddies and rice production. Around this time of year the rice harvest becomes a big deal, as well as the tons of...
diamond geezer
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...
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...
diamond geezer
Unofficial tube map news 2
I always keep my eyes peeled for a new tube map, even when one isn't scheduled. So I was surprised...
a year ago
I always keep my eyes peeled for a new tube map, even when one isn't scheduled. So I was surprised to see a cover I'd never seen before in the rack at Bow Road station yesterday morning. It was mostly black, and they don't make tube maps with mostly-black covers so I thought that...
Herbert Lui
Greatness means avoiding stupid mistakes consistently
Shane Parrish writes at Brain Food, “Moments don’t make legends. Consistency does. And the hardest...
2 weeks ago
Shane Parrish writes at Brain Food, “Moments don’t make legends. Consistency does. And the hardest consistency isn’t in doing brilliant things but avoiding stupid ones. Every mistake puts you in hard mode, forcing you to make up lost ground.” In some lines of work, a person must...
Londonist
Things To Do This Week In London: 13-19 November 2023
Winter Wonderland, Doctor Who, Elf The Musical and Christmas at Kew.
a year ago
Winter Wonderland, Doctor Who, Elf The Musical and Christmas at Kew.
diamond geezer
LNER 70min Flex Tickets
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these...
11 months ago
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these issues.
LNER's innovation is 70min Flex, a flexible ticket which allows you to travel within a specific window either side of your booked train. Up to 70 minutes before, up to 70...
Londonist
A Major Festival Of Czech Culture Is Returning To London
Made in Prague runs 3 Nov-10 Dec.
a year ago
Made in Prague runs 3 Nov-10 Dec.
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.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 1-7 January 2024
All our best articles from the past week.
12 months ago
All our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Where's Gail's?
The bakery chain Gail's has been busy spreading its sourdough tentacles across London over recent...
4 months ago
The bakery chain Gail's has been busy spreading its sourdough tentacles across London over recent years. It had been doing this successfully and also quietly until it dared to suggest opening a branch in Walthamstow Village whose residents promptly set up a petition to campaign...
diamond geezer
Pall Mall
PALL MALL
£140
London's Monopoly Streets
PALL MALL
Colour group: pink
Purchase price:...
9 months ago
PALL MALL
£140
London's Monopoly Streets
PALL MALL
Colour group: pink
Purchase price: £140
Rent: £10
Length: 500m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: SW1
Pall Mall is the first of the pinks, all of which lead off Trafalgar Square, and a classically posh street to boot. At less...
Londonist
Conkers In London: Where To Find Them, Where To Play
Our hard-hitting guide.
a year ago
Londonist
This Glowing Garden Of 25,000 Illuminated Roses Has Returned
The Ever After Garden returns.
a year ago
The Ever After Garden returns.
diamond geezer
2024 index
dg 2024 index
Beyond London
Rugby: The Midlands town that inspired a ball game, and what happened to...
5 days ago
dg 2024 index
Beyond London
Rugby: The Midlands town that inspired a ball game, and what happened to its radio masts [photos]
Crewe: The delights of the railway town were worth half a day... [photos]
Stafford: ...whereas this historic market town could have sustained me for...
diamond geezer
Taking the piss
In an ideal world every TfL station would have toilet facilities but the truth is you're more likely...
2 months 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...
diamond geezer
50 dull lists
50 dull lists
UK cities without a railway station: Armagh, Ripon, St Asaph, St Davids,...
4 months ago
50 dull lists
UK cities without a railway station: Armagh, Ripon, St Asaph, St Davids, Wells
Commemorative stamps 2024: Spice Girls, Weather forecasting, Vikings, Dinosaurs, 100 years of commemorative stamps, Peppa Pig, Dogs, Red Arrows, Dungeons & Dragons, Tower of London,...
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...
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...
4 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Wakuni Cafe: New Tokyo Cafe Made from 700 Bronze Plates Salvaged from Hayatani Shrine
the wakuni cafe, which opens January 19, 2024, is inside a 50-year old renovated building Opening in...
12 months ago
the wakuni cafe, which opens January 19, 2024, is inside a 50-year old renovated building Opening in the Tokyo neighborhood of Higashimurayama this month is Wakuni Cafe, a new destination that embodies history, craftsmanship and a spirit of reusing old materials. The exterior of...
Londonist
Where (And When) To See Cherry Blossom In London
The best spots for snapping sakura.
10 months ago
The best spots for snapping sakura.
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:...
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
10 Rather Shocking Images From A Victorian Tabloid
Bread riots, carriage crashes, and tussling with bears.
11 months ago
Bread riots, carriage crashes, and tussling with bears.
Londonist
London's 2023 Christmas Lights Bitchily Reviewed
Throwing shade on the city's illuminations.
a year ago
Throwing shade on the city's illuminations.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Forest Gate: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Forest food!
a year ago
Londonist
19 Facts About London That Sound Made-Up But Are True
A drunken Karl Marx and a tube line to the coast.
a year ago
A drunken Karl Marx and a tube line to the coast.
Spoon & Tamago
School Lunch Provider Creates Manga Milk to Encourage Kids to Finish Their Milk
Seki Milk, a Gifu-based provider of milk and other dairy-based products to local schools, had long...
a year ago
Seki Milk, a Gifu-based provider of milk and other dairy-based products to local schools, had long been dealing with an inconvenient truth. A large majority of students—65%, according to their own research— weren’t finishing their milk. This was leading to food loss but also a...
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...
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
Advent Way
'Tis the season.
Advent Way N18
A country lane called Angel Road once headed east out of...
a month ago
'Tis the season.
Advent Way N18
A country lane called Angel Road once headed east out of Edmonton following Pymme's Brook, ending at a sylvan bridge across the River Lea where anglers often gathered. Then in the 1920s the North Circular Road was built, the engineers choosing...
Herbert Lui
The vessel heuristic
What if, when you made art, you weren’t expressing yourself? What if you were a vessel for something...
3 weeks ago
What if, when you made art, you weren’t expressing yourself? What if you were a vessel for something greater to express themselves through? “The human mind is literally an antenna,” Pharrell says. “It picks up waves and transmissions from the ultimate source, from the ether.”...
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...
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...
2 months 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
New Barbie Exhibition To Open In London Next Year
Hi Barbie!
a year ago
diamond geezer
Carpenders Park
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
a month ago
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Carpenders Park, one stop beyond Hatch End on what will next week be the Lioness line. For positioning purposes...
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
Pudding Mill Lane 10
The DLR's youngest station is ten years old today.
Pudding Mill Lane opened on 28th April 2014...
8 months ago
The DLR's youngest station is ten years old today.
Pudding Mill Lane opened on 28th April 2014 and remains unnecessarily enormous.
Caveat: The station which opened 10 years ago was a rebuild paid for by Crossrail, because the original sat on the precise site where purple...
diamond geezer
Vehicle registration pairs
My latest numberplate-spotting game is trying to spot all the pairs of letters at the start of a...
10 months ago
My latest numberplate-spotting game is trying to spot all the pairs of letters at the start of a vehicle registration plate.
AA AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AJ AK AL AM AN AO AP...
You might expect there to be 26×26 = 676 possible combinations, but the letters I, Q and Z are never...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Places for Art, Music, and Theater in Asheville
a year ago
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
Review: V&A Shows Tropical Modernism Was So Much More Than An Architectural Movement
Politics, people, environment - all rolled into beautiful buildings.
10 months ago
Politics, people, environment - all rolled into beautiful buildings.
diamond geezer
Eversleigh Road
At this time of year I like to blog about a festively-named London street, however mundane it might...
a week ago
At this time of year I like to blog about a festively-named London street, however mundane it might be. In the past I've taken you to Noel Street, Noel Square, three Noel Roads, Noel Park Road, Turkey Street, Christmas Street, Yuletide Close, Shepherds Hill, Angel Road, Stables...
Londonist
The Best Fancy Dress Shops In London
Hire or buy costumes, wigs and masks for your next party.
a year ago
Hire or buy costumes, wigs and masks for your next party.
Cheese and Biscuits
Evernight, Battersea
Knowing we would be having dinner at Evernight I thought aperitifs at Homeboy Battersea, just around...
a year ago
Knowing we would be having dinner at Evernight I thought aperitifs at Homeboy Battersea, just around the corner in the same building, would be a nice way to kick off the evening. I was at Homeboy a couple of years ago just after it had opened, was treated to a very decent burger...
diamond geezer
Wanding Juniors
#10004 ✅ Oddities
What the hell is wanding? Why does it need to be done to juniors? Who is the...
a year ago
#10004 ✅ Oddities
What the hell is wanding? Why does it need to be done to juniors? Who is the creepy character on the left? Is that a grinning CCTV camera? And why does that teddy bear look so pleased? This is our surveillance society gone mad!
young supporters of West Ham...
Londonist
Fourth Plinth - Shortlist For 2026 And 2028 Sculptures Is Revealed
Ice cream vans, sweet potatoes and slime.
10 months ago
Ice cream vans, sweet potatoes and slime.
Londonist
In Pictures: London's Tube Station Gardens
Which is your fave?
a year ago
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (1)
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly...
a year ago
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly follow the meridian but it makes for a good name). Squatting on a small pontoon beside the northern terminal is the quirky sculpture Bird Boy by Laura Ford, a figure of a lost...
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...
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
London Hat Walk: Scores Of Fashionable Folk Will Parade Around Town This Weekend
Hat's the way uh-huh, uh-huh...
9 months ago
Hat's the way uh-huh, uh-huh...
diamond geezer
Redbridge Museum reopens
The London borough of Redbridge has boasted a solid mid-table museum since 2000, housed in a bespoke...
3 months ago
The London borough of Redbridge has boasted a solid mid-table museum since 2000, housed in a bespoke corner on the second floor of Ilford's main library. But it's needed a bit of a refresh for a while so they used lockdown as a chance to start updating it with lottery money and...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #4
Four months of major roadworks were supposed to begin at the Bow Roundabout on Monday. So how's that...
3 months ago
Four months of major roadworks were supposed to begin at the Bow Roundabout on Monday. So how's that going?
Monday 30th September
Tuesday 1st October
I popped up to Old Ford to see what's happened with route 8 terminating one stop early. A temporary stand has been created...
diamond geezer
Overground renaming - Severe Delays
One thing that happens when transport deadlines slip is that some things happen anyway, things that...
3 months ago
One thing that happens when transport deadlines slip is that some things happen anyway, things that were supposed to be associated with the launch. The weekend Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't, for example, Adidas inexplicably released a set of purple trainers with a 3D...
Londonist
Review: Fashion City At Museum Of London Docklands
New exhibition traces fashion history from the Jewish East End.
a year ago
New exhibition traces fashion history from the Jewish East End.
diamond geezer
2025
-->2025 is special because 2025 is a square number.
45 × 45 = 452 = 2025
The last was 1936 (= 44...
2 days ago
-->2025 is special because 2025 is a square number.
45 × 45 = 452 = 2025
The last was 1936 (= 44 × 44), and you'd have to be over 88 to be alive back then.
2025 is extra-special, as square numbers go, because 20 + 25 = 45.
2025 = (20 + 25)2
(1+2+3+ ... +8+9)2 = 452 = 2025...
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Stratford
Eats in E20.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Random Bexley Footpath
I worry sometimes that my content isn't niche enough. Things to do in Wood End. Roadworks at the Bow...
2 months ago
I worry sometimes that my content isn't niche enough. Things to do in Wood End. Roadworks at the Bow Roundabout. A walk along the Burnt Oak Brook. So today I'm going all-out niche in an attempt to dampen interest even further. Welcome to Random Bexley Footpath.
All Outer London...
Londonist
The World's Rarest Stamp Is On Display In London This September
It's also the most expensive.
a year ago
It's also the most expensive.
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Guide to D.C. for Music Lovers by Local Musician Neffy
8 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2023: Best Deals for Travelers
a year ago
diamond geezer
Monday transport news
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Monday.
You've Got...
a year ago
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Monday.
You've Got Mail
Here's the roundel mat at Acton Main Line which is located just behind the gateline. It's easiest seen by those exiting the station, although they can only read it upside-down...
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan’s Hot Springs (Part 2)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part post. Part 1 can be found here.
The Hot Spring...
a year ago
Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part post. Part 1 can be found here.
The Hot Spring Act of 1948
Lest you think any old well could be an onsen, the Japanese government has very clear rules on what can be called an onsen.
These are
Londonist
Get Free Entry To The London Dungeon This Monday
To cheer you up on 'Blue Monday'.
11 months ago
To cheer you up on 'Blue Monday'.
diamond geezer
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of...
a year ago
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of globally-sourced animals, as well as a conservation hub and a prestige tourist attraction. But it's a bit pricey with tickets costing £27 on weekdays and £31 at weekends, or even more on the...
diamond geezer
From eight to nine
Yesterday I undertook the not inconsequential task of buying a new laptop, something I'd been...
4 months ago
Yesterday I undertook the not inconsequential task of buying a new laptop, something I'd been putting off for a long time.
2020 and your collective advice was "if it's still working keep using it" so I did. It's got slower, as you'd expect, but I've worked around that and put up...
Londonist
Dad's Army Museum: Go On A Classic Sitcom Pilgrimage On This Day Trip From London
"Now pay attention..."
a year ago
diamond geezer
Fleet Street
FLEET
STREET
£220
London's Monopoly Streets
FLEET STREET
Colour group: red
Purchase price:...
5 months ago
FLEET
STREET
£220
London's Monopoly Streets
FLEET STREET
Colour group: red
Purchase price: £220
Rent: £18
Length: 500m
Borough: City of London
Postcode: EC4
Fleet Street precisely links the edge of the ancient walled city (at Ludgate) to the edge of the expanded medieval...
Londonist
Play On The Guitar Of Your Dreams At This Gibson Showroom
Live out your Nigel Tufnel fantasy.
10 months ago
Live out your Nigel Tufnel fantasy.
diamond geezer
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
Walking With The Snowman
"Have you done the snowman sculpture trail yet?" my brother asked. He does like a good thematic...
a year ago
"Have you done the snowman sculpture trail yet?" my brother asked. He does like a good thematic painted fibreglass orienteering gadabout.
Walking With The Snowman and is spread across part of the City between Chancery Lane and St Paul's. There are a dozen snowmen altogether, and...
diamond geezer
An A-Z of London post offices
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post...
a year ago
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post offices, which is awkward because the Post Office's branch finder doesn't do lists, only "closest to"s. Thankfully this is a problem other people also have, and volunteers at...
Londonist
Why The Hammersmith & City Is (Arguably) London's Newest Tube Line
It's only been around since 1990 (sort of).
11 months ago
It's only been around since 1990 (sort of).
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...
Londonist
BFI Flare: Huge LGBTQIA+ Film Festival Lands In London This March
Feat. Layla, Close To You and All Of Us Strangers.
10 months ago
Feat. Layla, Close To You and All Of Us Strangers.
Londonist
New York Had A Crystal Palace And It Also Burned Down
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
11 months ago
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Kid-Friendly Historic Sites and Attractions to Visit in Germany
7 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Explore Patagonia's Untamed Beauty in Chile's Magallanes
a week ago
Spoon & Tamago
Whale Butter Dish Designed by Akira Yoshimura
This whimsical butter dish is sure to bring a sea of change to your kitchen. Designed by Akira...
a year ago
This whimsical butter dish is sure to bring a sea of change to your kitchen. Designed by Akira Yoshimura (previously) and lovingly produced by the metal artisans of Takaoka-based Sanomasa, the Whale Butter Dish is made in the likeness of a whale that has swallowed a stick of...
Spoon & Tamago
Craft Your Own Salt From Over 600 Varieties at this New Salt Specialist in Tokyo
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo....
3 months ago
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo. Located just a few steps away from Tokyo Sky Tree is “Guruguru Shakashaka,” a salt specialty store that lets you explore 600 varieties of salt and then blend your own. Equally unique...
Londonist
Concrete Beauty Of The National Theatre Captured In This Abstract Exhibition
Amelia Lancaster has been photographing it for over 20 years.
11 months ago
Amelia Lancaster has been photographing it for over 20 years.
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.
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
Bus of the day 157
Bus Route Of The Day
157: Crystal Palace to Morden
Quadrant: London southwest
Length of journey: 12...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
157: Crystal Palace to Morden
Quadrant: London southwest
Length of journey: 12 miles, 70 minutes
Because it's 15th July I've been out riding the 157, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Be warned I have a few of these up my sleeve as the week progresses,...
Londonist
An Entire Barbra Streisand Season Is Coming To North London
A star is celebrated.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
The Tower of London
Residents of Tower Hamlets can visit the Tower of London for £1.
n.b. You don't book in advance...
a year ago
Residents of Tower Hamlets can visit the Tower of London for £1.
n.b. You don't book in advance online, you just turn up at the ticket desk and ask.
library card, but now all you need is proof of address.
website.
20 things to see inside the Tower of London
White Tower
1)...
diamond geezer
Ten apologies
I'd like to apologise for the ten posts I could have brought you today but haven't written.
1)...
a month ago
I'd like to apologise for the ten posts I could have brought you today but haven't written.
1) Visit London have opened a temporary Ticket Shop in Covent Garden
flogging stuff, mainly tickets to attractions and shows, and it looks hugely superfluous but it's not aimed at...
Londonist
The Wandering Caryatids Of Southwark Park
They've stood in three different locations.
a year ago
They've stood in three different locations.
diamond geezer
Sunday transport news
Some transport news
Central line news
well known in tubular circles that the longest direct...
9 months ago
Some transport news
Central line news
well known in tubular circles that the longest direct journey on the Underground is between Epping and West Ruislip on the Central line. It's 54.9km long (34.1 miles), comfortably ahead of Uxbridge to Cockfosters on the Piccadilly line...
Londonist
The Natural History Museum Is Throwing Another Epic New Year's Eve Bash
It's going to be WILD.
a year ago
Londonist
Explore Holborn's Two 'Secret' Platforms On This New Hidden London Tour
Torches at the ready.
10 months 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Elongated Engawa Defines this Community Welfare Center in Chiba
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the...
a year ago
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the elderly becomes an increasingly important issue. And while elderly populations are typically seen as a burden, there are places around rural Japan that offer glimpses of a more...
Londonist
15 Delightful Day Trips From London: November 2023
Charming events within easy reach of London.
a year ago
Charming events within easy reach of London.
diamond geezer
Majority Sweepstake
On polling day, let's have a sweepstake on the size of the Labour majority.
comments...
6 months ago
On polling day, let's have a sweepstake on the size of the Labour majority.
comments if(postComments['51253209151424'] != null){document.write(' (' + postComments['51253209151424'] + ')')}else{document.write(' (0)')};
n.b. If you don't think Labour are going to get a majority, go...
diamond geezer
McDonald's in Woolwich at 50
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque...
a month ago
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque outside.
The three signatories were big names in the American company - Robert Rhea, Fred Turner and Ray Kroc - but none of them turned up. Instead the ribbon was cut by the dynamic...
Spoon & Tamago
Designed by Kengo Kuma, Kiki’s Museum of Literature to Open in Tokyo
Fans of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” will be delighted to learn that a new museum dedicated to...
a year ago
Fans of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” will be delighted to learn that a new museum dedicated to children’s book author Eiko Kadono will open in Tokyo. Designed by architect Kengo Kumo, the three-story Kiki’s Museum of Literature will be located inside Nagisa Park, which is situated...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 6-7 April 2024
Last-chance exhibitions, an ice hockey weekender, and a miniature railway.
9 months ago
Last-chance exhibitions, an ice hockey weekender, and a miniature railway.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 22-28 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
11 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Inside South London's Pay-What-You-Can Cafe
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
9 months ago
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 18-24 September 2023
A tube map for planes, a street with four names - plus a really silly interview.
a year ago
A tube map for planes, a street with four names - plus a really silly interview.
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...
8 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Grand Hotel Timeo Launches Pop-Up Treehouse Suites by Dior
a year 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.
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.
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in April 2024
20 things we learned from TfL FoI requests in April 2024
1) The annual operating cost for the...
8 months ago
20 things we learned from TfL FoI requests in April 2024
1) The annual operating cost for the Woolwich Ferry is £8.9 million.
2) In 2021 there were 305km of bus lanes in London, up from 293km in 2011.
3) Tfl spent £282,945.43 advertising this year's Fares Freeze on posters, in...
Londonist
David Hockney Makes A Splash With His Battersea Power Station Christmas Trees
You can see them every night till Christmas Day.
a year ago
You can see them every night till Christmas Day.
Spoon & Tamago
Japan’s Jimi ‘Mundane’ Halloween Costumes of 2024
Happy Jimi Halloween to everyone who celebrates. It’s that wonderful time of year when our favorite...
2 months ago
Happy Jimi Halloween to everyone who celebrates. It’s that wonderful time of year when our favorite Japanese festival, Jimi Halloween, is on full display. Mundane Halloween, as we coined it back in 2018, is when people dress up in costumes so mundane they have to be explained....
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Guide to Guatemalan Food: 11 Essential Dishes to Try in Guatemala
a year ago
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
SL5
Route SL5: Bromley North - Croydon Town Centre
Length of journey: 7 miles, 35 minutes
Superloop...
11 months ago
Route SL5: Bromley North - Croydon Town Centre
Length of journey: 7 miles, 35 minutes
Superloop sprang into action yesterday, and it's an oddity. Firstly it's the shortest of the seven circuitous routes. Secondly it doesn't serve any major centres of population other than at its...
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...
Your Next Caribbean Vacation to The Cayman Islands
8 months ago
diamond geezer
Everyman Stratford International
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates...
2 weeks ago
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates Westfield from the Olympic Park, now officially known as Stratford Cross. It's housed in a brushed metal box tucked beneath 20 floors of Grade A office space. It has three screens,...
Herbert Lui
Creative unattachment
It’s best to attach the value of your work based on something that’s within your control. This could...
a week ago
It’s best to attach the value of your work based on something that’s within your control. This could mean a way of doing things, a philosophy, or a set of values—or all three. Championship NFL coach Bill Walsh would call this a Standard of Performance. Here are some things 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...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Rose, Deal
A stroll along the High Street in Deal reveals a town very much at the forefront of the wider...
a year ago
A stroll along the High Street in Deal reveals a town very much at the forefront of the wider Kentish food revolution. There seem to be more than the usual number of artisan butchers and fishmongers for what is otherwise a fairly small (albeit very quaint) seaside town. There's a...
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...
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
I've been to see some art
I've been to see some art.
Tate Modern
Mire Lee: Open Wound (until 16 March)
metal motor hanging...
2 months ago
I've been to see some art.
Tate Modern
Mire Lee: Open Wound (until 16 March)
metal motor hanging in mid-air, slowly turning, over which are draped strips of fabric soaked in some manky viscous liquid. This drips gradually into a metal tray underneath, turning a series of...
diamond geezer
30s update
This is probably a good day for my annual heatwave update.
Dates on which the temperature at...
4 months ago
This is probably a good day for my annual heatwave update.
Dates on which the temperature at Hampstead reached 30°C
JunJulAugSep
2010279/10
201127
2012 2518
2013 13 15/16/17 221
2014 18
2015 122
2016 18/19/202413
201717/18/19/20/216
2018 5/6/7/8 15 23 25/26/272/3...
Londonist
Where To Watch Fireworks On Bonfire Night In London 2023
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
a year ago
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
diamond geezer
Connection issues
I had a nice 2025-related post lined up for you today, but I have issues.
lot of...
3 hours ago
I had a nice 2025-related post lined up for you today, but I have issues.
lot of twiddling.
lightning port.
Yes, I've tried cleaning it but to no effect.
online advice.
There are potential getarounds to get the photos off the phone.
comments if(postComments['91681514525519'] !=...
diamond geezer
Tractor Tax Protest
Thousands of farmers, countryfolk and their supporters were in central London yesterday to protest...
a month ago
Thousands of farmers, countryfolk and their supporters were in central London yesterday to protest against the imposition of inheritance tax on farmland. You could tell something was up by the number of people in Barbour jackets, tweed caps and sensible outerwear milling around...
Londonist
A Map Of Westminster Place Names And Where They Come From
From Maida Vale to Covent Garden.
9 months ago
From Maida Vale to Covent Garden.
Cheese and Biscuits
Hong Kong Restaurant, Angel
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at...
2 months ago
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at least a decent dinner. There are too many tourist traps, dingy fast food joints, grim chains and bandwagon-jumping copycats (just see how many smash burger joints have appeared in...
The Forney Flyer
Northern Scenery, Way Back When...
Today I'm returning to the "Way Back When..." series, highlighting some of the surreal beauty we...
over a year ago
Today I'm returning to the "Way Back When..." series, highlighting some of the surreal beauty we enjoyed in the boreal forests of the far north.
Obviously most of these photos feature frigid beauty. That's because it was cold and snowy/icy much of the year. Also, there were...
Cheese and Biscuits
Caravel, Regent's Canal
It makes perfect sense that with London commercial property rents sky-high, wiley restaurateurs...
over a year ago
It makes perfect sense that with London commercial property rents sky-high, wiley restaurateurs should look further afield and towards quirkier, more unusual spaces to set up shop. I have had mixed experiences dining on a boat (the London Shell Company: great fun; our office Xmas...
diamond geezer
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...
diamond geezer
Bletchley to Bedford for £1
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale...
6 months ago
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale line, a minor branch line which has been suffering from an embarrassing lack of rolling stock recently. It was supposed to be operated by three converted District line trains -...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Lamb Inn, Little Milton
Most visitors to the Lamb Inn will approach from the car park and be greeted with the sight pictured...
2 months ago
Most visitors to the Lamb Inn will approach from the car park and be greeted with the sight pictured above - an achingly cute thatched countryside pub in whitewashed stone looking like it hadn't changed much in the past few hundred years. And this is, of course, a great way to...
diamond geezer
Banksy's zoo
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at...
4 months ago
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at various locations across London. As publicity goes it's been a summer season masterstroke.
Some have since been removed, some have been screened off, some have been further...
Spoon & Tamago
150-Year Old Florist in Yanaka Blossoms with a New Cafe
all photos by Takuya Seki courtesy Maru Architects Founded in 1870, Hanaju is a florist that has...
3 months ago
all photos by Takuya Seki courtesy Maru Architects Founded in 1870, Hanaju is a florist that has served Tokyo’s Yanaka neighborhood for over 150 years. The flower shop is located near the entrance of Yanaka Cemetery and is surrounded by traditional homes and businesses, including...
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.
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