Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Piccadilly's Egyptian Hall
London's most beautiful pastiche?
10 months ago
London's most beautiful pastiche?
diamond geezer
Mansfield Park
Some buses terminate at the most evocative literary destinations.
K4 to Mansfield Park
Location:...
2 weeks ago
Some buses terminate at the most evocative literary destinations.
K4 to Mansfield Park
Location: London southwest, outer
Length of bus journey: 7 miles, 45 minutes
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of an Oyster card must be in want of a...
Londonist
The Open House London 2023 Programme Has Been Announced - Including BT Tower Tours
Plus tube station tours, and other landmark buildings.
a year ago
Plus tube station tours, and other landmark buildings.
Londonist
On 29 February Do One Of These Things A Londoner Would Never Do
From rickshaws to Angus Steakhouses.
11 months ago
From rickshaws to Angus Steakhouses.
Spoon & Tamago
Keep Cool This Summer With the Komorebi Uchiwa
Komorebi (木漏れ日) is one of those uniquely untranslatable Japanese words. It means “sunlight filtering...
6 months ago
Komorebi (木漏れ日) is one of those uniquely untranslatable Japanese words. It means “sunlight filtering through the tree leaves” and embodies a poetic appreciation for nature and its changing seasons. Capturing that aesthetic, and embedding it into a beautiful handheld fan (uchiwa),...
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Guide to Mindful Travel in Greater Palm Springs
a month ago
diamond geezer
The London Overground line names post
The phased introduction of six new Overground line names has begun.
Before we get into all that,...
a month ago
The phased introduction of six new Overground line names has begun.
Before we get into all that, let's get the new names out of the way.
we did all that back then.
First important thing: If anyone posts any line name comments on any future post, I will shift them back to...
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
That Time Lord Onslow's Monkey Escaped Onto The Tube
Simian crisis at Barbican.
a year ago
Simian crisis at Barbican.
diamond geezer
Premature poppying
We can all agree that the Royal British Legion does excellent work supporting ex-service personnel...
a year ago
We can all agree that the Royal British Legion does excellent work supporting ex-service personnel and their families, and that their annual Poppy Appeal is an inspirational fund-raising exercise. We can all agree that the Royal British Legion does excellent work supporting...
Londonist
Christmas Shows In London 2023: Fantastically Festive Theatre, Dance And Comedy
Including a return for Elf The Musical - and a debut for Christmas Actually.
a year ago
Including a return for Elf The Musical - and a debut for Christmas Actually.
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Jubilee Line
Including why they abandoned the name Fleet line.
a year ago
Including why they abandoned the name Fleet line.
Londonist
NFL In London 2023: When Are The Games, Who's Playing, And How To Get Tickets?
Game dates, teams, and locations.
a year ago
Game dates, teams, and locations.
The Forney Flyer
MAF Liberia
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their...
over a year ago
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their flying for six weeks. Our Liberia program has been short on pilots and very busy with flying, so of course I was happy to help!
Above is a shot of a bunch of Covid vaccines...
AFAR Media - Travel...
New Luxury Cruises in the Adriatic and Baltic Seas
3 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
New United Lounge in Newark Airport's Terminal A Now Open
a year ago
diamond geezer
Thames Water
"Sorry, we might go bust next year," is not what you want to hear from your water company. Ideally...
a year ago
"Sorry, we might go bust next year," is not what you want to hear from your water company. Ideally we wouldn't have water companies at all, we'd have one competent publicly owned authority, but we are where we are and this is the shitshow we've ended up with. So I wondered, how...
diamond geezer
Rugby
Gadabout: RUGBY
Rugby is the easternmost town in Warwickshire, not far from Coventry, and the site...
10 months ago
Gadabout: RUGBY
Rugby is the easternmost town in Warwickshire, not far from Coventry, and the site of an important railway junction. It's big in cement, was big in electronics and has been a market town since medieval times. But it's best known worldwide for its school and the...
Londonist
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.
Londonist
TfL Poppy Roundels: Here Are The Underground And Overground Stations Where You'll Find Them
London's trains and buses are 'wearing' poppies too.
a year ago
London's trains and buses are 'wearing' poppies too.
Londonist
Why Is There A Huge Mural Of Rembrandt On Mare Street, Hackney?
It's the return of the London Mural Festival.
a year ago
It's the return of the London Mural Festival.
Londonist
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...
diamond geezer
Our new coins
The News For Those Who Are No Longer Looking
An increasing number of my acquaintances no longer...
a year ago
The News For Those Who Are No Longer Looking
An increasing number of my acquaintances no longer follow the news in mainstream media, for whatever reason, avoiding all the bad news but simultaneously missing the good. So I thought I'd perform a public service by blogging about...
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...
diamond geezer
Splitting lines
Now that the Overground lines are being separately named, some people are asking whether other TfL...
10 months ago
Now that the Overground lines are being separately named, some people are asking whether other TfL services should follow suit.
n.b. The answer to this question is 'No', but stay with me as we go through the motions.
n.b. These days the Circle line shadows the Hammersmith &...
Londonist
The London Marathon 2024: A Complete Guide To Watching And Taking Part
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
9 months ago
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
Londonist
The Vagina Museum Is Reopening In November
"We're absolutely delighted... we love a big opening!"
a year ago
"We're absolutely delighted... we love a big opening!"
Londonist
Welsh Things To Do In London
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
10 months ago
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Manga Artist Hirohiko Araki Pays Tribute to Osaka Station’s History and Culture with New Public Art...
Osaka Station just got a little more bizzare. Manga artist Hirohiko Araki, known best for his epic...
5 months ago
Osaka Station just got a little more bizzare. Manga artist Hirohiko Araki, known best for his epic saga Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, has installed his first-ever public art piece at Osaka Station’s West Gate. Titled “Fountain Boy,” the circular, back-lit sculpture pays homage to the...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 6-12 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
QEOP development check
Ten years ago, when Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park fully opened, I showed you this graphic showing all...
9 months ago
Ten years ago, when Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park fully opened, I showed you this graphic showing all the adjacent parcels of land proposed for development. Ignore the blues because they were already up and running in 2014, specifically the East Village (previously the Athletes...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Road Trip in Chile's Lake District with Hikes & Hot Springs
a week ago
diamond geezer
2024 anniversary quiz
2024 anniversary quiz
a) launched Jan 1999 (25 years): no marks
b) contracted Jan 1974 (50 years):...
a year ago
2024 anniversary quiz
a) launched Jan 1999 (25 years): no marks
b) contracted Jan 1974 (50 years): two days fewer
c) appointed Jan 1924 (100 years): induced Labour
d) heard Jan 1924 (100 years): Dogger Fisher
e) died Jan 1924 (100 years): Union leader
f) launched Jan 1924 (100...
diamond geezer
Go To Jail
The square after Piccadilly on the Monopoly board is GO TO JAIL. The accompanying picture may show a...
2 months ago
The square after Piccadilly on the Monopoly board is GO TO JAIL. The accompanying picture may show a police officer blowing a whistle but the person who actually sends you to jail is a judge in a court room, so today's post is about criminal courts in London.
Criminal courts in...
Cheese and Biscuits
Maresco, Soho
Shall we get the inevitable comparisons out of the way first? Yes, there's more than a little...
a year ago
Shall we get the inevitable comparisons out of the way first? Yes, there's more than a little influence from the Hart Bros' Barrafina group of restaurants on display here at Maresco, a bright and bustling new arrival on the streets of Soho. There's a raw bar groaning with...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 20-26 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Excursions With Afar and Atlas Ocean Voyages
6 months ago
diamond geezer
Set To Stun
The latest exhibition at Gunnersbury Park Museum is called Set To Stun and is all about designing...
a year ago
The latest exhibition at Gunnersbury Park Museum is called Set To Stun and is all about designing and filming sci-fi in West London. A lot of plastic props and alien beings have been created in the boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow, and slightly wider afield, so this is a chance to...
Cheese and Biscuits
Baudry Greene, Covent Garden
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to...
7 months ago
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to launch one good restaurant, you're more than likely to be able to make a good go of a second. And then a third, and so on. Well, up to a point. You don't want to spread yourself...
Londonist
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.
Londonist
How To Spend A (Relatively Cheap) Weekend In Florence
We did say relatively.
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Post-Apocalyptic Illustrations of Tokyo in Ruins
Shinjuku Station – the road has collapsed on the South side of the station, revealing pools of blue...
a year ago
Shinjuku Station – the road has collapsed on the South side of the station, revealing pools of blue water that have formed on the train tracks Stories about the collapse of civilization and order—apocalyptic stories—endlessly seduce us. As terrifying as the real thing would...
Londonist
How Aldwych Tube Station Could Have Become A Heritage 'Theme Park'
A subterranean heritage railway.
9 months ago
A subterranean heritage railway.
Spoon & Tamago
Download Over 30 Butterfly Designs by Meiji-Era Artist Yuho Tanaka
Yuho Tanaka (田中幽峰) was an accomplished artist and draughtsman active in Kyoto during the late-1800s....
a year ago
Yuho Tanaka (田中幽峰) was an accomplished artist and draughtsman active in Kyoto during the late-1800s. At the height of his career in the 1890s he created numerous graphic patterns inspired by butterflies that were eventually compiled into a book titled hyaku-cho-zuan, or One...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 8-14 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
12 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Spoon & Tamago
MUJI Fans Can Now Rent this Countryside MUJI Kominka
MUJI’s new rentable townhouse in Kamogawa MUJI, everyone’s favorite Japanese lifestyle retailer, has...
a year ago
MUJI’s new rentable townhouse in Kamogawa MUJI, everyone’s favorite Japanese lifestyle retailer, has been in the homebuilding business for over 15 years. But in a new initiative they’re calling MUJI Base, the company has begun restorring, renovating and renting countryside...
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Christmas Eve 2023
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
a year ago
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
Londonist
Guess What Our Most-Read Article Of 2023 Was...
You love Christmas and the tube - but what was numero uno?
a year ago
You love Christmas and the tube - but what was numero uno?
diamond geezer
Losing our marbles
I went to see the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum yesterday.
Greece can't have them back.
This...
a year ago
I went to see the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum yesterday.
Greece can't have them back.
This whole controversy thing is just a ploy by the British Museum to drum up more visitors. It worked with me anyway, I went yesterday, and their devious marketing strategy deserves to...
Londonist
The Crazy Clown Church Service That Happens In Hackney Every February
Send in the clowns!
11 months ago
Londonist
Fenwick Is Reopening As A Charity Shop For Two Weeks
Maybe you'll score some cheap Dior.
11 months ago
Maybe you'll score some cheap Dior.
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
It's Official - London Has Two Of The World's 10 Best Bars
But Barcelona's still the best place to booze.
a year ago
But Barcelona's still the best place to booze.
diamond geezer
2X 60Y 60Z
In my quest to find London's highest-lettered house I've already found a U, V and some Ws.
18U...
a year ago
In my quest to find London's highest-lettered house I've already found a U, V and some Ws.
18U Brondesbury Park (NW6 7DL)
55V The Bishops Avenue (N2 0BJ)
1W-51W Rosebery Square (EC1R 4PT)
2X Chesterford Gardens (NW3 7DE)
We're in Hampstead amid the leafy avenues on the...
Spoon & Tamago
All 54 Playing Cards Reinterpreted Through Still Life Photography by Yuni Yoshida
Flower petals, leaves, foods and other objects have all been meticulously arranged and then...
a year ago
Flower petals, leaves, foods and other objects have all been meticulously arranged and then photographed to create a set of 54 playing cards, including 2 jokers. It’s the latest work by art director Yuni Yoshida (previously), who’s penchant for analog techniques that shun digital...
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
One Of The First Victorians Born Was Called 'Hyde Park'
Apparently.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Open House (2)
For Open House Day Two I zipped around the capital and visited seven different and quite varied...
3 months ago
For Open House Day Two I zipped around the capital and visited seven different and quite varied properties. It was a long day. I therefore don't have the time or energy to write about them all, not right now, so instead I've prioritised selecting some good photos and uploading...
Cheese and Biscuits
40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey
40 Maltby Street sits alongside places like Quality Chop House and the French House in that special...
over a year ago
40 Maltby Street sits alongside places like Quality Chop House and the French House in that special category of restaurants used as a kind of shorthand amongst food-obsessed types in order to prove they know what they're talking about. Like Quality Chop House and the French...
Londonist
Londonist Talks To Just Stop Oil
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
10 months ago
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Canary Wharf: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Scran among the 'scrapers.
a year ago
Scran among the 'scrapers.
diamond geezer
Unblogged December
28 unblogged things I did in December
Fri 1: My monthly electricity bill arrived and it was an...
a year ago
28 unblogged things I did in December
Fri 1: My monthly electricity bill arrived and it was an estimate, except that after several months of them assuming I'd used 40 kWh they'd suddenly decided I'd used 192 kWh. The bloke on the helpline couldn't explain the massive hike ("no, I...
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...
Londonist
Things You Might Not Know About The Borough Of Harrow
Even Boudicca decided it was worth a visit.
a year ago
Even Boudicca decided it was worth a visit.
diamond geezer
London's most terminussy bus terminus
I won't keep you long today.
Let's answer a dull question.
Which London bus terminus has the most...
7 months ago
I won't keep you long today.
Let's answer a dull question.
Which London bus terminus has the most terminating routes?
See, half of you can head off already.
This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer.
It used to be easy when TfL made bus maps.
I made myself a list...
diamond geezer
Five years of new stations
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half...
a year ago
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half years to run the first train. People in high places must have been lying their socks off.
• Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms and the Northern line extension
Brent Cross...
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...
The Forney Flyer
South Sudan Photo Archives
Here's some shots from South Sudan from the archives. These first three shots were taken just a few...
over a year ago
Here's some shots from South Sudan from the archives. These first three shots were taken just a few months ago, when I flew a Caravan load of medicines up to a remote health clinic in South Sudan. This is the only clinic that offers actual medicine and medical treatment in that...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel by Sea With Luxury, Sustainability, and Adventure
3 months ago
Londonist
Charles Dickens, Dog Lover: Exhibition Explores Animal-Adoring Side Of Author
Less Bleak House, more Beak House.
9 months ago
Less Bleak House, more Beak House.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Soon, TSA Security Screenings Will Be Self-Service
a year ago
diamond geezer
The five smallest parks in Barking & Dagenham
Join me on a journey of data-driven disappointment as I attempt to answer a question nobody else is...
a month ago
Join me on a journey of data-driven disappointment as I attempt to answer a question nobody else is asking.
What are the five smallest parks in Barking & Dagenham?
map.
"We're so proud Barking and Dagenham has 28 brilliant parks and open spaces which are much loved by so many...
diamond geezer
Northumberland Avenue
NORTHUMBER
LAND AVENUE
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE
Colour group:...
8 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
Where To Recycle Or Dispose Of Your 2023 Christmas Tree In London
Which London boroughs recycle them?
a year ago
Which London boroughs recycle them?
AFAR Media - Travel...
How Asheville’s Nature Inspires Local Chef, Ashleigh Shanti
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Local Baker’s Top Picks to Maine’s Best Winter Adventures
4 months ago
diamond geezer
Brent Cross West station
For decades the two mile gap between Hendon and Cricklewood stations didn't need a station. The...
a year ago
For decades the two mile gap between Hendon and Cricklewood stations didn't need a station. The surrounding area was mostly retail parks and rundown industrial estates, and the site itself was occupied by Cricklewood traction maintenance depot. But 'rundown industrial estate' is...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore is The City's Best Hotel
a year ago
Londonist
15 Pictures Of London's Beautiful Shopfronts
From floating Chinese restaurants to everyone's favourite foliage-smothered boozer.
a year ago
From floating Chinese restaurants to everyone's favourite foliage-smothered boozer.
Londonist
London's Cosiest Hotels
Because baby it's cold outside.
a year ago
Because baby it's cold outside.
Londonist
David Attenborough Waxwork Comes To Madame Tussauds
It's the second time he's been honoured here.
a year ago
It's the second time he's been honoured here.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Madeira, Portugal Is the Ideal Stopover Destination
a month ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Embark on island-hopping adventures and explore ancient wineries in Croatia
10 months ago
Londonist
London New Year's Eve Fireworks 2023: Ticket Details Announced
See in 2024 by the Thames in central London.
a year ago
See in 2024 by the Thames in central London.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to See Music & Performing Arts in Asheville, NC
a year ago
Londonist
Nostalgic For The Elephant And Castle Underpass? You Will Be After Watching This Maccabees Video
The ending almost had us weeping...
a year ago
The ending almost had us weeping...
Londonist
TfL Is Closing Five Tube Lines This Weekend
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
a year ago
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
Londonist
13 Excellent Events Near London: February 2024
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
11 months ago
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
Londonist
"£1 For A Return Fare Since 2003": Brockwell Park's Miniature Railway
You can hire it for birthdays, too.
9 months ago
You can hire it for birthdays, too.
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.
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
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 1-7 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Polygon Road
As a heads-up, this is the trajectory of today's post.
a) Ooh, a street with an interesting name.
b)...
11 months ago
As a heads-up, this is the trajectory of today's post.
a) Ooh, a street with an interesting name.
b) Hmmm, I suspect it's also an interesting street.
c) Ah, now I've walked it I see it's not interesting after all.
d) But this gives me an idea about similarly-named streets.
e) Ah,...
diamond geezer
The best value London sightseeing bus
The best value London sightseeing bus
It's hard to get an objective opinion. If you head to the...
5 months ago
The best value London sightseeing bus
It's hard to get an objective opinion. If you head to the Visit London website it turns out they have an affiliate deal with Golden Tours and promote them heavily at the top of their list, with two other operators tucked a long way down and...
diamond geezer
DIY blogpost
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of...
a year ago
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of factual musings, hopefully entertaining and illuminating, for the wider readership to enjoy. I'll pick the topic, you provide the words.
Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to write...
Londonist
Around London In 14 Lions And Lionesses
One to paw over.
a year ago
Londonist
Superloop: SL3 Route Between Thamesmead And Bromley Launches This Weekend
Just SL5 and SL4 to go now...
10 months ago
Just SL5 and SL4 to go now...
Londonist
Dozens Of Well-Dressed Dandies Saunter Through Central London In May
What Londoner doesn't like a good flan?
9 months ago
What Londoner doesn't like a good flan?
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 28-29 October 2023
London's newest exhibitions, plus Halloween events, rugby screenings and more.
a year ago
London's newest exhibitions, plus Halloween events, rugby screenings and more.
diamond geezer
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,...
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...
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan's Convenience Stores
Editor’s note: Due to the sheer amount of interesting material here we decided to break this into a...
a year ago
Editor’s note: Due to the sheer amount of interesting material here we decided to break this into a two-part article.
All across Japan, one sight remains ubiquitous – the convenience store.
A far, far cry from their American cousins, convenience stores in Japan are without...
Londonist
The Best Music Festivals In London 2024
Party in a field without leaving the capital.
10 months ago
Party in a field without leaving the capital.
Londonist
Fundraising Events In London For Medical And Humanitarian Aid In Gaza
Some ways to support emergency response efforts.
a year ago
Some ways to support emergency response efforts.
diamond geezer
Slowing the Bow Roundabout
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276,...
4 months ago
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276, 277 and 425 "to help with reliability during roadworks at the Bow Roundabout and displacement of traffic onto local roads". For example buses on route 25 usually run every 7-8...
diamond geezer
25 things to see in SE25
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 25 (because N tops out at N22).
Come...
yesterday
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 25 (because N tops out at N22).
Come with me to South Norwood SE25.
25 things to see in SE25
1) See the Clock Tower
clock tower at the top of the High Street. It's a facsimile of Little Ben outside Victoria...
diamond geezer
The Charterhouse
I hadn't realised you could wander inside The Charterhouse, the historic almshouses on the edge of...
10 months ago
I hadn't realised you could wander inside The Charterhouse, the historic almshouses on the edge of Smithfield, probably because I hadn't been paying sufficient attention. I knew it had been restored a few years ago and I knew they did paid-for tours but I thought that was it, you...
diamond geezer
Redditch
Gadabout: REDDITCH
Redditch is an old market town a dozen miles south of Birmingham and marginally...
3 months ago
Gadabout: REDDITCH
Redditch is an old market town a dozen miles south of Birmingham and marginally in Worcestershire. It's also a new town, one of the second wave designated in the mid 1960s, and expanded considerably to create a car-friendly constellation of residential nuclei....
diamond geezer
Green Chain 12
It's not often London's Strategic Walk Network is extended. The London Loop has been in existence...
10 months ago
It's not often London's Strategic Walk Network is extended. The London Loop has been in existence since 2001, the Capital Ring completed in 2005, the Green Chain grew an extra leg in 2010 and the Jubilee Greenway emerged in 2012. So I was thrilled to discover that the Green Chain...
Spoon & Tamago
Five Things To Look Forward to at the 2025 World Expo Japan Pavilion
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka, slated to take place in Osaka, is just 6 months away. Taking place...
2 months ago
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka, slated to take place in Osaka, is just 6 months away. Taking place from April 13 to October 13, 2025, the expo aims to be a participatory, experiential, solutions-oriented exposition, offering the world an opportunity to come together in one place to...
diamond geezer
Unofficial tube map news 1
Three weeks ago a pasta-delivery company announced they'd be giving away free pasta outside five...
a year ago
Three weeks ago a pasta-delivery company announced they'd be giving away free pasta outside five tube stations on October 25th to celebrate World Pasta Day. This is the kind of marketingbolx that various media platforms adore, and Time Out, Metro, Secret London, AOL, MSN and the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Family-Friendly Travel Guide to Minneapolis, MN
8 months ago
Londonist
30 Beautiful Giraffe Sculptures To Discover On This Croydon Art Trail
Done the gorillas? Now do these.
a year ago
Done the gorillas? Now do these.
Spoon & Tamago
Travelling Through Eizan Railway’s Picturesque ‘Momiji Tunnel’
all photos courtesy Eizan Electric Railway Along Kyoto’s Eizan Electric Railway is a section known...
a year ago
all photos courtesy Eizan Electric Railway Along Kyoto’s Eizan Electric Railway is a section known as “Maple Tree Tunnel” (momiji tunnel, in Japanese) that is lined with hundreds of maple trees. They are, of course, beautiful any time of year. But maple trees are particularly...
Londonist
Christmas Has Returned To The Royal Albert Hall
From carols to festive films in concert.
a year ago
From carols to festive films in concert.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 4-10 December 2023
Our best articles from the past week.
a year ago
Our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Count 2024
During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts,...
10 months ago
During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a none-too thrilling daily feature called The Count. My 28-day tally chart may have been deathly dull to the rest of you, but I've continued to count those...
Londonist
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...
Londonist
Where To Watch The Rugby World Cup 2023 In London
Pubs and bars screening the action.
a year ago
Pubs and bars screening the action.
diamond geezer
Vine Street
VINE
STREET
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
VINE STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price:...
6 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
Captain Zip's Amazing Film Footage Of London Punks In The 1970s And 80s
They even visit Downing Street.
a year ago
They even visit Downing Street.
Londonist
"My Obsession With London's Modernist Council Estates"
The beauty of the capital's social housing.
9 months ago
The beauty of the capital's social housing.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 25-31 March 2024
Catch up with the best Londonist articles from the past week.
9 months ago
Catch up with the best Londonist articles from the past week.
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.
Londonist
London Gets A New Station As Brent Cross West Opens
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
a year ago
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
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...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do In London This Week: 1-7 April 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
9 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Halloween 2023: Parties, Events And Things To Do In London
Get your spook on.
a year ago
Londonist
The Gravy Fondue: Will You Be Dipping Into London's Winter Food Trend?
Chuck out the cheese - it's all about the brown stuff.
11 months ago
Chuck out the cheese - it's all about the brown stuff.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Fort Myers: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures
7 months ago
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in October 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in October 2024
1) The five road junctions with the most...
2 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in October 2024
1) The five road junctions with the most casualties and collisions over the last three years (specifically the greatest 'casualty harm') are the Redbridge Roundabout, Seven Sisters, Elephant & Castle, the foot of Ilford...
Londonist
London History Mapped To The Stars
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
a year ago
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Ski, Stay, & Explore Outdoors in Alberta's Winter
a month ago
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Waterloo & City Line
A very peculiar line.
a year ago
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...
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 -...
Londonist
5 Amazing Places To Eat Asian Food In Central London
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
10 months ago
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
diamond geezer
London's least busy bus stop
Where is London's least busy bus stop?
It is however a very difficult question to answer, much...
7 months ago
Where is London's least busy bus stop?
It is however a very difficult question to answer, much harder than where's the busiest.
last year when TfL released a Weekday Passenger Data spreadsheet providing the number of boarders at all 19,827 of their bus stops during the month...
Spoon & Tamago
All Aboard the Deer Train to Nara
all photos by mareiii04 Nara is known for several things including their gorgeous temples and...
a year ago
all photos by mareiii04 Nara is known for several things including their gorgeous temples and exquisite parks. But the historic Japanese city has another major tourist attraction: their devious deer. If you’re heading to Nara, be sure to try and board Kintetsu Railway’s new Deer...
Londonist
Bits Of London That Aren't In The Bit Of London They Say They Are In, But In Another Bit Of London
If you see what we mean.
9 months ago
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 177
Bus Route Of The Day
177: Peckham to Thamesmead
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 12...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
177: Peckham to Thamesmead
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 12 miles, 75 minutes
Because it's 17th July I've been out riding the 177, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. There are more glamorous ways to travel.
177 is your friend, and...
Londonist
This Hammersmith Venue Hosts A Free Community Dinner Every Month
"The simple act of eating together to spark connection."
a year ago
"The simple act of eating together to spark connection."
diamond geezer
Far From Super Loop
On bus shelters across London TfL are keenly advertising the Superloop. The poster shows a bus, a...
a year ago
On bus shelters across London TfL are keenly advertising the Superloop. The poster shows a bus, a rainbow burst of pastel colours and the legend The Superloop Is Coming. The given date is Spring 2024 and it's described as a commitment by the Mayor to improve public transport in...
Londonist
When Are London's Christmas Lights Switched On For 2023?
Three...two...one... CHRISTMAS!
a year ago
Three...two...one... CHRISTMAS!
diamond geezer
Euston Road
EUSTON
ROAD
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
EUSTON ROAD
Colour group: light blue
Purchase price:...
9 months ago
EUSTON
ROAD
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
EUSTON ROAD
Colour group: light blue
Purchase price: £100
Rent: £6
Length: 1 mile
Borough: Camden
Postcode: NW1
Euston Road is the broadest, busiest, most polluted street on the Monopoly board, so hardly somewhere you'd want to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
You Can See the 2024 Solar Eclipse During This 22-Day Cruise
a year ago
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
City and Forest Living in a Unique Concrete Log House
All images © Ichiro Mishima courtesy IKAWAYA Architects Merging the organic with the inorganic;...
a year ago
All images © Ichiro Mishima courtesy IKAWAYA Architects Merging the organic with the inorganic; walking the fine line between indoors and outdoors, is a predominant theme in contemporary Japanese architecture. One of the latest iterations is from architect Atsushi Ikawaya, who...
diamond geezer
The City Wall at Vine Street
Other Vine Streets are available.
The City Wall at Vine Street
Location: Vine Street, EC3N 2HT...
6 months ago
Other Vine Streets are available.
The City Wall at Vine Street
Location: Vine Street, EC3N 2HT [map]
Open: 9am - 6pm (bank holidays excepted)
Admission: free
Seven word summary: a very old wall and some rubbish
Website: citywallvinestreet.org
Time to set aside: half an hour
The...
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...
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.
Londonist
In Pictures: London's Tube Station Gardens
Which is your fave?
a year ago
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Outdoor Locations in Toronto, Canada
7 months ago
Herbert Lui
Fast & Furious
The Fast & Furious franchise was inspired by an article on street racing culture by Kenneth Li. The...
4 weeks ago
The Fast & Furious franchise was inspired by an article on street racing culture by Kenneth Li. The first three movies in this Fast & Furious franchise—Fast & Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift—maintained its signature by staying true to this...
Londonist
Explore Holborn's Two 'Secret' Platforms On This New Hidden London Tour
Torches at the ready.
10 months ago
Londonist
West End Tickets From £15 - London Theatre Week Has Launched
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
10 months ago
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 187
Bus Route Of The Day
187: West Hampstead to Park Royal
Quadrant: London northwest
Length of journey:...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
187: West Hampstead to Park Royal
Quadrant: London northwest
Length of journey: 8 miles, 60 minutes
Because it's 18th July I've been out riding the 187, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. It's no big hitter.
twiddling round backstreets in an...
Spoon & Tamago
Gaku Yamazaki has Documented Thousands of Unusual Road Signs Across Japan
all images courtesy Gaku Yamazaki Gaku Yamazaki, a 21-year old college senior, spends his spare time...
a year ago
all images courtesy Gaku Yamazaki Gaku Yamazaki, a 21-year old college senior, spends his spare time traversing Japan in search of what he has dubbed ikei-yajirushi, or ‘unusual arrows.’ There are thousands of these abnormal road signs dotted across Japan and while drivers might...
Londonist
Things To Do In London In Half Term: October 2023
Family-friendly school holiday activities for all budgets.
a year ago
Family-friendly school holiday activities for all budgets.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Eco-Friendly Cruise Activities for Nature Lovers
6 months ago
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
Tup'penny
#10003 ✅ Analysis
2018 I bagged them up and took them to the bank, earning £13 for my trouble. What...
a year ago
#10003 ✅ Analysis
2018 I bagged them up and took them to the bank, earning £13 for my trouble. What I wondered was what years my remaining 2p coins were minted in and how many years are missing.
1971 1980 1990 1991 1993 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008...
Spoon & Tamago
Yoko Tada Began Painting in her 80s. At 100 She’s Publishing Her First Book
“natsu no prelude” (prelude of the summer) by Yoko Tada won honorable mention last year from the...
a year ago
“natsu no prelude” (prelude of the summer) by Yoko Tada won honorable mention last year from the Japan Watercolor Association The painter Yoko Tada is having what some would call “a moment.” Last year her work was recognized by the Japan Watercolor Association, an organization...
diamond geezer
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Hurrah it's November which can mean only one thing.......
a year ago
Your Social Media Calendar for November
Hurrah it's November which can mean only one thing.... Christmas is here! It's time once again to pimp up your feeds, boost the brands and push the festive content. But have you remembered all the important marketing angles and have you...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 27 November-3 December 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Gorgeous Shots Of The Thames In New Riverside Photography Book
London's Riverside in Photographs, by Franco Pfaller.
11 months ago
London's Riverside in Photographs, by Franco Pfaller.
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in June 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in June 2024
1) Whatever 16 members of the public have...
6 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in June 2024
1) Whatever 16 members of the public have said, no occurrences of bedbugs have been identified on TfL services over the past two years.
2) London's least busy bus stop is at Dysart Avenue (I blogged about this in some...
diamond geezer
The Count 2024
For twenty-one consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
11 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....
diamond geezer
London's Monopoly streets
New year, new blog series.
I speak of visiting all the streets in Monopoly.
OLD...
12 months ago
New year, new blog series.
I speak of visiting all the streets in Monopoly.
OLD KENT
ROAD
£60
→
MAYFAIR
£400
I'm using the London version of the board, obviously, and the original 1935 streets rather than any of the silly thematic...
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Architecture Lover’s Dream Tour Through Germany’s UNESCO Sites and Beyond
7 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...
Londonist
The Ballot For Wimbledon 2024 Is Now Open
Ace!
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do In The Borough Of Bexley
Sound baths, Pre-Raphaelites and a gorgeous sewage pumping station.
10 months ago
Sound baths, Pre-Raphaelites and a gorgeous sewage pumping station.
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...
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
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
NYC-Based Cocktail Bar, Death & Co, Opens D.C. Location
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
The 2024 Toyama Kei-Truck Gardening Contest
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the...
7 months ago
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the most-Japanese contest, professional gardeners and landscapers compete to create a beautiful, seasonal, and unique landscape , all within the bed of their kei-trucks. This contest originated...
Londonist
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.
Londonist
5 'New' Pubs Promised For City Of London By 2027
But are any actually new?
a year ago
But are any actually new?
diamond geezer
Substacks
For those who like writing online, the blogging platform of choice continues to evolve.
Substack,...
3 weeks ago
For those who like writing online, the blogging platform of choice continues to evolve.
Substack, founded in 2017, which has been picking up more and more top writers of late. I have no intention of jumping ship, let's make that clear at the start, but I thought I'd take a...
diamond geezer
Unblogged February
29 unblogged things I did in February
Thu 1: While I was in Trafalgar Square today I stood in the...
10 months ago
29 unblogged things I did in February
Thu 1: While I was in Trafalgar Square today I stood in the shadow of Nelson's Column and took a photo of it stretching towards the National Gallery. It's much better than the photo I used last week in my post about the shadow of Nelson's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Luxury Hotels in California You Should Know About
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Crossing the river news
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls,...
5 months ago
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls, they're called user charges, but we all know what they are. The tolls will also apply to the Blackwall Tunnel from the day the Silvertown Tunnel opens which is expected to be...
Londonist
Goodbye Glory, Hello Divine - East London's New-Not-New LGBTQ+ Club
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
11 months ago
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
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
Secretive Central London Cold War Tunnels Could Open As Visitor Attraction
Kingsway Telephone Exchange is said to have inspired Q Branch.
a year ago
Kingsway Telephone Exchange is said to have inspired Q Branch.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where Was Game of Thrones Filmed? 11 Locations You Can Visit
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Five Great Places to Visit on Your Next Vacation to Florida
8 months ago
Londonist
Pedlar's Acre: The Mysterious Bit Of South Bank Where The London Eye Now Stands
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
10 months ago
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Music-Themed Museums to Visit in Washington D.C.
8 months ago
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...
Londonist
Those Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides Through London Parks Are Back For Winter
The mane event.
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
United To Fly New Nonstop Flights to East Asia This Fall
a year ago
Londonist
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2023: A Guide To Visiting London's Huge Christmas Festival
When to go, what to see and how to save money.
a year ago
When to go, what to see and how to save money.
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Nandine, Camberwell
Another week, another fantastic new restaurant in Camberwell. I try not to moan too much on this...
11 months ago
Another week, another fantastic new restaurant in Camberwell. I try not to moan too much on this site about the fact that certain areas of town seem overly saturated with great places to eat, while others have to wait decades between worthwhile new options, but it's hard not to...
diamond geezer
Sadiq's third manifesto
Sadiq's manifesto has finally been published so let's take a look (mainly so there's a blogpost to...
8 months ago
Sadiq's manifesto has finally been published so let's take a look (mainly so there's a blogpost to check at the end of his term in 2028).
Title: A fairer, safer, greener London for everyone
Pages: 67
Top 10 pledges
1) Free school meals
2) Freeze TfL fares
3) 40,000 new...
Londonist
London's Going Snowdrop Crazy This Month - Here's Where To See Them
The flower that's about to take over your Instagram feed.
11 months ago
The flower that's about to take over your Instagram feed.
Londonist
Pick Your Own Christmas Tree At These Festive Farms In And Around London
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
a year ago
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
diamond geezer
50 posts I won't be writing
50 posts I won't be writing
• January's fried chicken launches
(except that's actually 51, so I...
11 months ago
50 posts I won't be writing
• January's fried chicken launches
(except that's actually 51, so I will be writing one of them... here later)
Retracing Terry and June
Happy Ever After evolved into Terry and June in 1979, for copyright reasons. Both featured Terry Scott and June...
diamond geezer
Carpenters Road
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive...
7 months ago
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive industries could be snuffed out in readiness for the Olympics. It took until 2014 to reopen, freshly sanitised, as a link road round the back of the Olympic Park. It then closed...
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?
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Attractions in California Travelers Should Know About
10 months ago
diamond geezer
England's 100 largest towns
One reason I went to Redditch is that it's one of England's largest towns and I'm trying to turn...
3 months ago
One reason I went to Redditch is that it's one of England's largest towns and I'm trying to turn this list blue. Admittedly it's only number 98, but every blogpost counts.
England's 100 largest towns and cities by population
1-10: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol,...
Londonist
The Best Places To Find Bluebells In And Near London This Spring
You can walk your dog in some of these spots, too.
9 months ago
You can walk your dog in some of these spots, too.
Londonist
The Natural History Museum Is Throwing Another Epic New Year's Eve Bash
It's going to be WILD.
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Spoon & Tamago’s Most-Popular Posts of 2023
It’s an annual tradition at casa Spoon & Tamago to reflect on the year that was by taking a look...
a year ago
It’s an annual tradition at casa Spoon & Tamago to reflect on the year that was by taking a look back at the posts that resonated the most with our readers. In doing so, we try to make sense of the year which, for Japan, was very much a year of homecoming. Japan felt like...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Hightown Inn, Liverpool
Despite spending the first 20 years of my life about 100m up the road from the Hightown Inn (then...
4 days ago
Despite spending the first 20 years of my life about 100m up the road from the Hightown Inn (then the Hightown Hotel), I never really considered this grand old Victorian building to be much of a "local". I was far more likely to get the train to the Railway in Formby where most...
diamond geezer
Lincoln's Inn
Two big Open House openings on opposite sides of Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Open House: Lincoln's...
a year ago
Two big Open House openings on opposite sides of Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Open House: Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn is the largest occupying 11 acres on the eastern side of Lincoln's Inn Fields (which was named after it, not the other way round). It's been here for at least 600...
diamond geezer
Walking on Canada Water
It's now quicker to walk from Canada Water station to the big Tesco. This is because British Land...
a month ago
It's now quicker to walk from Canada Water station to the big Tesco. This is because British Land are trying to sell flats.
swooshy timber boardwalk has just opened and it's red. Very red.
It starts from the dock edge by the library and ends at the far end of what used to be...
Londonist
See Dozens Of Tube Sketches At Barbican Library
Martin Church's vibrant portraits in free exhibition.
11 months ago
Martin Church's vibrant portraits in free exhibition.
Cheese and Biscuits
Tuétano Taqueria, San Diego
On the shortest day of the year, in the middle of the gloomiest and wettest of England's gloom and...
a week ago
On the shortest day of the year, in the middle of the gloomiest and wettest of England's gloom and wet, I thought it might be fun to review a taco shop in southern California, because it's days like this you need to remind yourself that there are places in the world where the sun...
Cheese and Biscuits
Restaurant of the Year 2022 - The Bridge Arms, Canterbury
Since the madness of the Covid Times, you may have noticed that the rate of posting on this blog has...
over a year ago
Since the madness of the Covid Times, you may have noticed that the rate of posting on this blog has slowed down a bit. Where I used to try and do 6 or 7 posts a month, and with that obviously stopping completely while there was nothing open to review, I have since found that 2...
diamond geezer
Thursday transport news
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Thursday.
Four stations...
a year ago
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Thursday.
Four stations miss out on 4G
can't ring a friend and have a very loud conversation and they are Paddington, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf and Woolwich. These will be added to the roster next year,...
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.
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...
The Forney Flyer
Latest from Uganda
Here's a picture taken while I was doing an early morning pre-flight inspection 2 days ago, on...
over a year ago
Here's a picture taken while I was doing an early morning pre-flight inspection 2 days ago, on Sunday, on a remote strip in South Sudan.
It's not normal for us to do flights on Sundays, but we've had an aircraft stuck in that location for a long time now, requiring some TLC...
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London In October 2023
Beauty, Manga, miniatures and a whole load of art fairs.
a year ago
Beauty, Manga, miniatures and a whole load of art fairs.
diamond geezer
Why did they say that?
This post is about announcements I’ve heard on TfL services recently.
The announcements split into...
10 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
Rumble In The Jungle Rematch Arrives In London
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
a year ago
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
Londonist
Take A Tour Of The Magnificent Palace Of Westminster This Autumn
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
a year ago
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
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...
Londonist
An 'Accidentally Wes Anderson' Exhibition Is Coming To West London
So. Much. Pastel.
a year 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...
Spoon & Tamago
The New Simose Art Garden Villa: Where Art & Hospitality Meet at the Sea
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the...
a year ago
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima is the Simose Art Garden Villa. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban (previously), the newly opened destination comprises ten villas, a...
Cheese and Biscuits
Little Cellars, Camberwell
Having enjoyed the original Peckham Cellars very much, I eagerly jumped on a very kind invitation to...
a year ago
Having enjoyed the original Peckham Cellars very much, I eagerly jumped on a very kind invitation to their new Camberwell offshoot. Little Cellars is aptly named - there's a couple of high tables for 6 in the middle of the room and 8 lower seats arranged looking out of the two...
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.
diamond geezer
Rooms Through TIme
The Museum of the Home in Hoxton has evolved again. It used to be the Geffrye Museum, a linear...
5 months ago
The Museum of the Home in Hoxton has evolved again. It used to be the Geffrye Museum, a linear celebration of historic middle-class interiors. In 1998 it extended beyond the almshouses into a loopy extension with cafe and gift shop. In 2021 they added a thematic basement, shifted...
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...
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...
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...
Londonist
Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree: Where's It From? What's Its History? When's The Switch-On?
Spruce up on your arboreal knowhow.
a year ago
Spruce up on your arboreal knowhow.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Diwali 2023 In London
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
a year ago
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
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
The Great Fire Of London: 10 Key Sites To See
Monument, Pudding Lane, the Golden Boy and more.
a year ago
Monument, Pudding Lane, the Golden Boy and more.
Londonist
Rude Tube: 160 Years Since First Naughty Graffiti On The Underground
What *did* he write?
9 months ago
diamond geezer
The greatest sport
Why is football the world's greatest sport?
It might not be your favourite sport but that's not...
5 months ago
Why is football the world's greatest sport?
It might not be your favourite sport but that's not relevant here - on a global stage football dominates all.
One reason is that football's so simple to play. It's just you and a ball and all you have to do is kick it. Most other...
diamond geezer
Almost Oxford Street
A Nice Walk: Almost Oxford Street (1½ miles)
Crowds throng the length of Oxford Street, especially...
a year ago
A Nice Walk: Almost Oxford Street (1½ miles)
Crowds throng the length of Oxford Street, especially at this time of year, in search of gifts and for a gander at the sparkly lights. But sometimes you just want to go for a nicer walk, nothing too busy, a bit of a stroll, lots to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Family-Friendly Vacations on Alabama's Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
a year ago
Londonist
Holy Immersive Pop-Up! You Can Visit The Batcave At This Free Batman Experience
Feat. costumes, props and vehicles from the movies.
a year ago
Feat. costumes, props and vehicles from the movies.
Londonist
Where To Get Your Fill Of The Best Food And Drink In Islington
Marvellous macarons, superb sushi... and Karen's Diner.
9 months ago
Marvellous macarons, superb sushi... and Karen's Diner.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Park City, Utah's Top Winter Activities for Families
3 weeks ago
Londonist
HS2: What's Going On? Is Is Still Going To Euston? Is It Too 'Londoncentric'?
This could just be the fattest, whitest elephant ever to lumber across Britain.
a year ago
This could just be the fattest, whitest elephant ever to lumber across Britain.
Londonist
Buy London-Themed Stocking Fillers, Secret Santa Pressies And More In Londonist's Online Shop!
Truly unique gifts designed by yours truly.
a year ago
Truly unique gifts designed by yours truly.
diamond geezer
Unblogged July
31 unblogged things I did in July
Mon 1: "Oooh," I thought, "I bet that's the last London park in...
5 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in July
Mon 1: "Oooh," I thought, "I bet that's the last London park in alphabetical order, I wonder what the first is." So if you see a post one day called The A-Z of London Parks, that's where the idea came from.
Tue 2: Unblogged follow-up to my Free...
diamond geezer
Bus timetables are rubbish
TfL run all their services to timetable, but increasingly hide these from the public on the...
4 months ago
TfL run all their services to timetable, but increasingly hide these from the public on the assumption we don't need to know.
"The timetable redesign follows research that shows people want even more simplistic bus information than already exists. People want larger type and...
diamond geezer
Summer Olympics of my lifetime
Summer Olympics of my lifetime
10th October 1964: Tokyo
Tokyo Melody by Helmut Zacharias - and...
5 months ago
Summer Olympics of my lifetime
10th October 1964: Tokyo
Tokyo Melody by Helmut Zacharias - and helped propel it to number 9 in the singles chart. As one of a limited number of 7-inches in our record box while I was growing up it got a lot of plays, and I still subliminally love...
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...
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.
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.
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
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Turkish Airlines Launches New Flights to Istanbul From Detroit
a year ago
diamond geezer
Merton rebrands
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually...
a year ago
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually from the end of November, and I'll let the council's branding team explain why.
We have been using the same logo as the foundation stone of our corporate identity for the past 30...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 27-28 January 2024
A frost fair, snowdrops and an Australia Day party.
11 months ago
A frost fair, snowdrops and an Australia Day party.
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
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
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel to Coastal Germany's Historical UNESCO Sites
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Unblogged November
30 unblogged things I did in November
Fri 1: I bought some Edding 55 pens online yesterday because...
a month ago
30 unblogged things I did in November
Fri 1: I bought some Edding 55 pens online yesterday because I can't find them in the shops any more, and they were due to arrive today. Before they arrived I got three emails saying "Please note, your driver is unable to leave this item...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 16-22 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Clandon and Hatchlands
Yesterday I took the train to Surrey to tick off two more National Trust properties.
Cost of...
a year ago
Yesterday I took the train to Surrey to tick off two more National Trust properties.
Cost of off-peak return from Waterloo to Clandon: £14.50
Cost of off-peak return from Wimbledon to Clandon: £8.00 (so maybe do that)
You alight the train a couple of stops before Guildford and...
The Forney Flyer
Nineteen Years of Joy, and Counting!
Nineteen years ago today, I married my best friend, Joy.
One year later our first child was...
over a year ago
Nineteen years ago today, I married my best friend, Joy.
One year later our first child was born...
... and well before his first birthday, we were commissioned by our church to head to the mission field. That was 17 years ago, and we've spent the vast majority of our...
diamond geezer
Consequential
Some weeks are consequential.
a) Today is the Budget.
This budget also feels like it's been...
2 months 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...
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
Poohsticks Bridge
In deepest East Sussex, on the edge of Ashdown Forest, is a famous bridge where a six year-old boy...
4 months ago
In deepest East Sussex, on the edge of Ashdown Forest, is a famous bridge where a six year-old boy and a fictional bear invented a waterborne race.
There was a broad track, almost as broad as a road, leading from the Outland to the Forest, but before it could come to the...
Londonist
London Overground Strikes Next Week Cancelled
Normal service now planned.
10 months ago
Normal service now planned.
diamond geezer
Dangleway speed
Danglegeek (2) How fast?
2012 it was a two-speed service, offering 5 minute crossings before 10am...
a year ago
Danglegeek (2) How fast?
2012 it was a two-speed service, offering 5 minute crossings before 10am and after 5pm on weekdays and 10 minute crossings at other times. In 2015 they also introduced slower 'night flights' after 7pm, this time taking 12-13 minutes, as a further nod that...
diamond geezer
Blogged September
30 blogged things I did in September
Fri 1: I've now been publishing my 'unblogged' posts for 5...
a year ago
30 blogged things I did in September
Fri 1: I've now been publishing my 'unblogged' posts for 5 years, i.e. I've done 60 of them, so to still be getting 50 comments on the latest one is quite something, thanks.
Sat 2: I broke the news that tube platform tickets were being...
Londonist
Punchdrunk: Immersive Doyens Return In 2024 With "Moonlit Fever Dream"
Tickets for Viola's Room on sale this week.
9 months ago
Tickets for Viola's Room on sale this week.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #8
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are now into their second month (or their third month if...
2 months ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are now into their second month (or their third month if you're the manager who cancels buses).
a curve of concrete block paving that's due to become roadway, so fairly trivial.
Previous updates: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Gibraltar
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
12 months ago
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
diamond geezer
Hinchley Wood
One Stop Beyond: Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood, one stop beyond Surbiton on the New Guildford...
4 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood, one stop beyond Surbiton on the New Guildford line.
unsung fields to the east of Esher, officially in the parish of Thames Ditton, sliced through by a non-stopping railway. What changed things was the arrival of the Kingston Bypass...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Exclusive Beach Club Experiences: Mexico's Riviera Maya & Beyond
a year ago
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...
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...
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...
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