diamond geezer
Poet in residence
A unique opportunity has arisen for creative narration,
the post of poet in residence,
five...
9 months ago
A unique opportunity has arisen for creative narration,
the post of poet in residence,
five maintained by them:
apply,
Tower Bridge
London Bridge
Since medieval masons built a stone span with central chapel,
Since pilgrims passed through in reverent migration,
Since...
Londonist
The 1930s: When London Was Really Put On The Map
Tube map, Monopoly and A-Z were a 1930s supergroup.
a year ago
Tube map, Monopoly and A-Z were a 1930s supergroup.
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London: February 2024
Clocks, consumerism and centurions.
11 months ago
Clocks, consumerism and centurions.
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
November 2024 in summary
I'd like to apologise to readers who don't like trains and railways because all of this week's posts...
3 weeks ago
I'd like to apologise to readers who don't like trains and railways because all of this week's posts have been about trains and railways. I'm aware that many people do like trains and railways, including The Men Who Leave Comments When I Write About Trains And Railways, and their...
diamond geezer
Why did they say that?
This post is about announcements I’ve heard on TfL services recently.
The announcements split into...
9 months ago
This post is about announcements I’ve heard on TfL services recently.
The announcements split into two groups.
a) Why did they say that?
b) Why did they say that now?
Why did they say that?
"Customers using the escalators are advised to carry pets at all times"
[Whitechapel...
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Waterloo & City Line
A very peculiar line.
a year ago
Londonist
Photos Of The London Tube In The 1940s And Ukraine's Metros In The 2020s
Echoes of the Blitz comes to LTM.
9 months ago
Echoes of the Blitz comes to LTM.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Spring Vacation at This Historic Arizona Hotel
9 months ago
Londonist
The Elysian Arcs: Giant Rainbows And Bubbles Appear Beneath Cheesegrater
Free installation bring colour to City.
9 months ago
Free installation bring colour to City.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Park City, Utah's Top Winter Activities for Families
2 weeks ago
Spoon & Tamago
Japanese Designer New Year’s Cards of 2024
It’s been a rough start to the new year for Japan as one disaster begets another. We are of course...
11 months ago
It’s been a rough start to the new year for Japan as one disaster begets another. We are of course talking about the evolving situation at Haneda airport, as well as the Noto Peninsula. Our hearts go out to everyone affected but we also want to highlight the many heroes of the...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 23-24 December 2023
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
a year ago
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
Londonist
Best Of London 2023: It's The Annual Londonist Awards!
Dust off your tux - it's trophy time!
12 months ago
Dust off your tux - it's trophy time!
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,...
diamond geezer
I'd never do that
I caught the train from Whitechapel to Stratford, just the one stop, and saw lots of people doings...
4 months ago
I caught the train from Whitechapel to Stratford, just the one stop, and saw lots of people doings things I'd never do.
The woman alongside was eating chips, and I'd never do that. The smell of hot food always permeates, indeed her wafting fried odour proved this, so I prefer...
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
Donkey Lane
To continue this year's Christmas perambulations, three little donkeys.
Donkey Lane EN1
just off...
a year ago
To continue this year's Christmas perambulations, three little donkeys.
Donkey Lane EN1
just off the Great Cambridge Road in the London borough of Enfield. Locally the local area is known as Carterhatch, and might be known more widely had the potential Overground station not...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 21-22 October 2023
Exhibitions, tours, live music, and half term fun.
a year ago
Exhibitions, tours, live music, and half term fun.
Londonist
The City Street With FOUR Names
What do you call the road between Millennium Bridge and St Paul's?
a year ago
What do you call the road between Millennium Bridge and St Paul's?
Londonist
Victorian Society "Very, Very Sad" About Development Around Turkish Bathhouse
City of London Corporation has green-lit Landsec's £500m plan.
a year ago
City of London Corporation has green-lit Landsec's £500m plan.
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."
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.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 18-24 December 2023
A handy roundup of Londonist articles from the past week.
12 months ago
A handy roundup of Londonist articles from the past week.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 25 September-1 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 5-11 February 2024
The best articles from the past week.
10 months ago
The best articles from the past week.
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
847
London's Free Buses
847: Stratford to Here East
Length of journey: 1 mile, 7 minutes
shuttle bus...
2 months ago
London's Free Buses
847: Stratford to Here East
Length of journey: 1 mile, 7 minutes
shuttle bus that runs up and down the Olympic Park and has done since May 2017. It may therefore come as a surprise to hear that I've never previously ridden it, especially as it's very close to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Soon, TSA Security Screenings Will Be Self-Service
a year ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Black Salt, Sheen
For most restaurants, no matter how lofty their ambitions or discerning the clientele, sheer...
over a year ago
For most restaurants, no matter how lofty their ambitions or discerning the clientele, sheer practical market forces will be the driving force behind at least one or two dishes, whether it's the chic Northern gastropub reluctantly offering fish and chips and a burger alongside...
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
A Christmas Carol - London Locations Mapped
Book and film locations - and plenty more!
a year ago
Book and film locations - and plenty more!
Londonist
"Every Year We Do A Free Christmas Day Dinner At Our Wimbledon Pub, For People On Their Own"
Almost 200 people come to the Alex on 25 Dec.
a year ago
Almost 200 people come to the Alex on 25 Dec.
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Bakerloo Line
A chronology of the brown line.
a year ago
A chronology of the brown line.
diamond geezer
Class 701
A new train has entered service on SouthWestern this week.
class 701 - but as yet there is just one...
11 months ago
A new train has entered service on SouthWestern this week.
class 701 - but as yet there is just one train. There should be 90 trains but their introduction is running way behind schedule, indeed the original intention was for the first 701 to enter service five years ago....
AFAR Media - Travel...
21 Must-Try Michelin-Star Restaurants in Monaco
8 months ago
Londonist
50+ Excellent Things To Do In London This Month: October 2023
Black History Month, live music, Comic Con and more.
a year ago
Black History Month, live music, Comic Con and more.
Londonist
Hello Brain! At The Crick Probes Secrets Of The Mind... With Knitting
See the latest brain research while you wait for a train.
9 months ago
See the latest brain research while you wait for a train.
diamond geezer
Wealdstone and Whetstone
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the...
a year ago
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the road. Let's visit both.
The Weald Stone, Wealdstone
What? The Weald Stone is a humpy lump of sarsen stone approximately the same length as a sleeping human.
Where? Not in the centre...
Londonist
Events For Book Lovers In London This Winter
Christmas book fairs, winter book swaps and an exhibition on fantasy.
a year ago
Christmas book fairs, winter book swaps and an exhibition on fantasy.
Londonist
Croydon Plans Spectacular Mic Drop For Borough Of Culture Closing Weekend
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
9 months ago
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
diamond geezer
From eight to nine
Yesterday I undertook the not inconsequential task of buying a new laptop, something I'd been...
3 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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Archway, Battersea Park
Firstly, I have a confession to make. Many years ago I was very kindly treated to lunch at the River...
a year ago
Firstly, I have a confession to make. Many years ago I was very kindly treated to lunch at the River Café in Hammersmith, and I didn't like it. I think I was mainly intimidated - by the well-heeled crowd, the scale and the power of that vast dining room and open kitchen, and yes,...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 29 January-4 February 2024
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
10 months ago
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
Londonist
The Passion Of Jesus: Free Play Returns To Trafalgar Square On Good Friday 2024
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
9 months ago
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
Londonist
Non-Christmassy Things To Do In London In December
Where to avoid Christmas completely in London this year.
a year ago
Where to avoid Christmas completely in London this year.
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.
diamond geezer
The City Wall at Vine Street
Other Vine Streets are available.
The City Wall at Vine Street
Location: Vine Street, EC3N 2HT...
5 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Tips for Exploring L.A.'s Northern Shopping Districts
2 months ago
Londonist
A Map Of Southwark Place Name Origins
The etymology of the London Borough Southwark.
11 months ago
The etymology of the London Borough Southwark.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Outdoor Locations in Toronto, Canada
7 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
A VHS Cafe is Opening in Tokyo’s Shimokitazawa Neighborhood
Despite it’s image of neon lights and cyberpunk mystique propagated by the west, Tokyo is very much...
a year ago
Despite it’s image of neon lights and cyberpunk mystique propagated by the west, Tokyo is very much a mash-up of old and new. It’s a city where Tower Records is still alive and well. Where vinyl record and vintage clothing shops have to employ crowd control measures. And where a...
Londonist
Stunning Light Trails And Illumination Festivals To See Near London This Winter
Absolutely enchanting evenings out in south-east England.
a year ago
Absolutely enchanting evenings out in south-east England.
Londonist
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.
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.
8 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
How Washington, D.C. is Leading the Way in Accessible Travel
a year ago
Londonist
Take A Tour Of The Magnificent Palace Of Westminster This Autumn
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
a year ago
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
Spoon & Tamago
Komaeyu: Redesigning the Public Bath to Preserve Traditional Sento Culture
all photos by Ju Yeon Lee courtesy Schemata Architects The number of public baths, or sento as...
a year ago
all photos by Ju Yeon Lee courtesy Schemata Architects The number of public baths, or sento as they’re referred to in Japan, have been in chronic decline since the late 1960s. As the number of homes with their own private bath proliferated, public bathhouses shrank from over...
Londonist
Supperclub.Tube: The Tube Carriage Serving A Six-Course Tasting Menu
Definitely the best way to spend three hours on the tube.
a year ago
Definitely the best way to spend three hours on the tube.
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Alberta Winter Getaway for Nature, Wellness, and Culture
a month ago
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
What if the world ended?
What if the world ended? It could happen.
var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 199) + 2100;...
10 months ago
What if the world ended? It could happen.
var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 199) + 2100; document.write(randno );. Or var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 49) + 2050; document.write(randno );. Perhaps var randno = Math.floor(Math.random() * 19) + 2030;...
diamond geezer
RP1
London's Free Buses
RP1: Richmond Park circular
Length of journey: 12 miles, 90 minutes
the RP1, a...
2 months ago
London's Free Buses
RP1: Richmond Park circular
Length of journey: 12 miles, 90 minutes
the RP1, a minibus service organised by the Royal Parks to provide accessible transport through and around Richmond Park. Just because you can't get around easily any more, why should you miss...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Inside Marie Antoinette’s Reopened Apartment At Versailles
a year ago
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...
diamond geezer
21 gun salute
It struck me I'd never seen a 21 gun salute, and what better occasion than this blog's 21st...
a year ago
It struck me I'd never seen a 21 gun salute, and what better occasion than this blog's 21st birthday? So I headed to the Tower of London to watch the Honourable Artillery Company bang their big guns, officially to celebrate the first anniversary of the succession of the...
Cheese and Biscuits
Chungdam, Soho
I generally try and avoid focusing too much on service on invited meals. If the front of house know...
a year ago
I generally try and avoid focusing too much on service on invited meals. If the front of house know you're in to review they usually try and be that extra bit more attentive, and occasionally too much so, and either way it's rarely an accurate reflection of the average punter's...
diamond geezer
2024 anniversary quiz
2024 anniversary quiz
a) launched Jan 1999 (25 years): no marks
b) contracted Jan 1974 (50 years):...
11 months 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...
The Forney Flyer
I'm Still Here
Wow, it's been nothing but crickets chirping here on my blog for quite a while, but I'm still here!...
over a year ago
Wow, it's been nothing but crickets chirping here on my blog for quite a while, but I'm still here! Those long periods of silence on my blog are indicative of how super busy it's been here. The summer was a blur, and it hasn't slowed down since.
diamond geezer
20 Centuries in 1 City
10 Centuries In 1 Day may not have been a very good walk.
London's a Roman city, can we do 20...
7 months ago
10 Centuries In 1 Day may not have been a very good walk.
London's a Roman city, can we do 20 centuries?
16th-21st century
This is the easy bit.
21st century
Gherkin (2004) I'm going to pick The Shard (2013). It's still the tallest building in western Europe.
20th...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do In London This Week: 25-31 March 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
9 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Barn at Moor Hall, Ormskirk
In restaurants that offer both an A La Carte and parallel set menu I often play a bit of a thought...
4 months ago
In restaurants that offer both an A La Carte and parallel set menu I often play a bit of a thought experiment. If there was no such separation of options, and if all the dishes available were priced evenly on the same list, which would I end up going for?
Set menus (usually,...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 15-21 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
11 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
What it's Like to Try an Adaptive Outdoor Recreation Tour
a year 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
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.
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.
diamond geezer
The Big London Airports Race
Nobody wants to read boring old text any more, the moving image is where it's at.
video and bringing...
8 months ago
Nobody wants to read boring old text any more, the moving image is where it's at.
video and bringing you my first thrilling dynamic transport content.
For those of you without playback capability, I've included a transcript below.
THE BIG LONDON AIRPORTS RACE
Scene - outside...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Nature and Hiking Adventures in the Cayman Islands
8 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Insider’s Guide to Wellness Travel in Sweden and Norway
4 months ago
diamond geezer
Pudding Mill Lane 10
The DLR's youngest station is ten years old today.
Pudding Mill Lane opened on 28th April 2014...
7 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...
Londonist
Hither Green Rail Crash: 1967 Disaster Was One Of London's Worst
"I saw one of the coaches go straight up on its end."
a year ago
"I saw one of the coaches go straight up on its end."
diamond geezer
with a 9 on the end
Birthdays are often great, but a birthday with a 9 on the end can give cause to ponder as the end of...
9 months ago
Birthdays are often great, but a birthday with a 9 on the end can give cause to ponder as the end of another decade grows uncomfortably close.
So I thought I'd look back at my previous birthdays ending in 9, the moments I found myself on final approach to another decade's end,...
Herbert Lui
Invest in your stories
My friend Peter started posting at LinkedIn a couple of years ago. He noticed that while people who...
2 weeks ago
My friend Peter started posting at LinkedIn a couple of years ago. He noticed that while people who followed him appreciated his advice, what they remembered most were his stories—about how he met his co-founder and started an agency, how they spun out new companies, and his move...
diamond geezer
SL5
Route SL5: Bromley North - Croydon Town Centre
Length of journey: 7 miles, 35 minutes
Superloop...
10 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...
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.
Londonist
UEFA Euro 2024 Screenings: Where To Watch Matches In London
3 x 🦁 + 👕 = ⚽
9 months ago
diamond geezer
CIIIR 75
Today is the King's 75th birthday.
Nationwide to celebrate his 30th, but here we are.
His mother...
a year ago
Today is the King's 75th birthday.
Nationwide to celebrate his 30th, but here we are.
His mother had a hospital, a bridge, an Olympic Park, a reservoir, a conference centre, an airport terminal, a parliamentary tower, a concert hall and a railway line, to mention but a few....
Londonist
Join The Race To Help Beat Childhood Cancer On A Family-Friendly Fun Run
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
a year ago
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
Londonist
More Tube Strikes For London This October
Dispute over staff cuts and working conditions.
a year ago
Dispute over staff cuts and working conditions.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #6
The first full week of roadworks at the Bow Roundabout has seen lengthy queues and a bit more...
2 months ago
The first full week of roadworks at the Bow Roundabout has seen lengthy queues and a bit more drilling. The queues were at their worst on Wednesday when an additional set of roadworks temporarily afflicted Tredegar Road, at one point stretching over three quarters of a mile along...
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
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...
Londonist
Petition Launched As Stratford's Beloved Market Village Suddenly Closes
It'd been going for over 30 years.
11 months ago
It'd been going for over 30 years.
Spoon & Tamago
Art & Coffee: Our Favorite Museum Cafes Across Japan
Come for the art, stay for the coffee. Japan’s numerous museums offer a little bit of everything....
a year ago
Come for the art, stay for the coffee. Japan’s numerous museums offer a little bit of everything. Whether it’s cutting edge, contemporary art in Tokyo or a tiny museum in the countryside dedicated to a single sculptor, seeking them out is always rewarding. What’s also rewarding...
diamond geezer
The 47th President
Two months ago I asked you the following question.
Who do you think will be the next American...
a month ago
Two months ago I asked you the following question.
Who do you think will be the next American President? (poll closed)
Kamala
HARRIS
comments (71)
Donald
TRUMP
comments (29)
And now here we are the morning after the election. A red dawn is rising.
10 comments from readers...
Londonist
Places That Closed Down In London In 2024
Rooftop bars, kids' attractions and a beloved market.
9 months ago
Rooftop bars, kids' attractions and a beloved market.
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.
Spoon & Tamago
A Temporary Rooftop Forest Replaces Fukuoka’s Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine During Renovations
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will...
a year ago
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will undergo a massive renovation beginning in May of 2023. And for three years the honden main hall will be completely closed off to the roughly 10 million visitors who come to the...
Cheese and Biscuits
Bouchon Racine, Farringdon
Such is the cyclical nature of these things, trends in food or clothing or plenty of other areas...
a year ago
Such is the cyclical nature of these things, trends in food or clothing or plenty of other areas besides will, given long enough, find themselves fading in and out of favour. There was a time, within living memory, when French cuisine was considered the gold standard of...
Londonist
Sadiq Stops The Ball Rolling On Controversial Stratford Sphere
Massive Vegas-style venue would be " bulky, unduly dominant and incongruous".
a year ago
Massive Vegas-style venue would be " bulky, unduly dominant and incongruous".
Londonist
In Pictures: The East End Pubs Of London
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
a year ago
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
diamond geezer
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...
Londonist
The Killer 1962 Smog Of London
And no, we don't mean 1952.
a year ago
And no, we don't mean 1952.
diamond geezer
Algorithmic non-chronological
I'm delighted to announce that diamond geezer now has a new non-chronological algorithm.
From...
10 months ago
I'm delighted to announce that diamond geezer now has a new non-chronological algorithm.
From today an automated algorithm will determine the order in which posts appear in your feed. This algorithm uses various factors to prioritise content with the goal of showing you the...
diamond geezer
The longest distance you can walk underneath
I was in Arnos Park yesterday, a large and pleasant park in Enfield just to the north of Arnos Grove...
7 months ago
I was in Arnos Park yesterday, a large and pleasant park in Enfield just to the north of Arnos Grove station. It has two prominent physical features, one of which is the Pymmes Brook which was flowing fairly strongly after all that rain we've had. The other is the Arnos Park...
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.
Londonist
The Massive (And Massively Controversial) Stratford Sphere
Is Vegas coming to east London?
a year ago
Is Vegas coming to east London?
AFAR Media - Travel...
Driving Across Norway, the Most Electric Car-Friendly Country in the World
a year ago
Londonist
Londonist Talks To Just Stop Oil
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
9 months ago
"No one will listen to you if they cannot hear you."
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Croydon
Chew your way through CR0.
a year ago
Chew your way through CR0.
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
London Overground Strikes Next Week Cancelled
Normal service now planned.
10 months ago
Normal service now planned.
diamond geezer
London's most extreme roundabouts
London's most extreme roundabouts
i.e. the largest, smallest, deepest, farthest, earliest,...
3 months ago
London's most extreme roundabouts
i.e. the largest, smallest, deepest, farthest, earliest, weirdest, exitiest... all the extremes.
roundabout anyway, and will also have gaps, omissions and inaccuracies, but thankfully a lot of my readers are inquisitive research-friendly...
Londonist
Martin Luther King Gets A London Blue Plaque
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
11 months ago
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Forest Gate: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Forest food!
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Satoshi Odagiri Creates One-of-a-Kind Organic Mobiles from Found Material
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday...
9 months ago
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday Factory, a design studio founded by Satoshi Odagiri in 2015. Inspired by the surrounding forests, rivers and wildflowers, Odagiri creates balancing mobiles that incorporate materials...
diamond geezer
Cheam Charter Fair
Every year on May 15th the people of Cheam hold a charter fair.
Also much of the above may not be...
7 months ago
Every year on May 15th the people of Cheam hold a charter fair.
Also much of the above may not be true.
Firstly there is no evidence that Henry III granted a charter to Cheam in 1259 or in any other year. Tradition says he did but no historical records exist to confirm this,...
Londonist
Christmas Gift Guide: London Themed Presents To Buy For London Lovers!
Books, booze and unique stocking fillers.
a year ago
Books, booze and unique stocking fillers.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 11-17 March 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
9 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Travel Itinerary Exploring the Roman Empire in Germany
6 months ago
diamond geezer
Route 59
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles,...
9 months ago
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles, 55 minutes
It's traditional around every birthday that I take a numerically significant bus journey. Seventeen years ago I took the 42 to Dulwich, then subsequently the 43 to...
Londonist
Christmas In London 2023: A Guide To Festive Events, Food And Drink In The Capital This Winter
Top tips for spending Christmas in the capital.
a year ago
Top tips for spending Christmas in the capital.
Londonist
60 Of The Best Things To Do In London This Spring
Your March-May diary, sorted.
9 months ago
Your March-May diary, sorted.
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...
Londonist
Beavers Are Back In London For The First Time In 400 Years
This'll bring a toothy grin to your face.
a year ago
This'll bring a toothy grin to your face.
Londonist
Street Art Hopscotch Appears In London, With A Potent Anti-War Message
“Stop talking about the politics of war and think more about the children suffering from conflict."
a year ago
“Stop talking about the politics of war and think more about the children suffering from conflict."
Londonist
How To See London's Christmas Lights By Bus
Watch the illuminations roll past, from your moquette throne.
a year ago
Watch the illuminations roll past, from your moquette throne.
diamond geezer
BBC2@60
60years@BBC2
1964 Play School, Horizon, Match Of The Day, Not Only But Also; 1965 Call My Bluff, Man...
8 months ago
60years@BBC2
1964 Play School, Horizon, Match Of The Day, Not Only But Also; 1965 Call My Bluff, Man Alive; 1966 The Money Programme, Chronicle, Cathy Come Home; 1967 The Forsyte Saga, Look and Read, colour televison; 1968 Gardeners' World, The Morecambe & Wise Show; 1969 Q, Pot...
Londonist
Welsh Things To Do In London
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
9 months ago
Daffodils, beer and male voice choirs.
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Japan Society Presents Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux
this post is sponsored by Japan Society Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan...
10 months ago
this post is sponsored by Japan Society Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society are proud to announce the eighth installment of the ACA Cinema Project film series, Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux. The series examines the shifting dynamics and...
Londonist
'Stand Against Suella' Protest Takes Place In Central London On Sunday
LGBTQ groups rally against dehumanising rhetoric.
a year ago
LGBTQ groups rally against dehumanising rhetoric.
Londonist
Non ULEZ Compliant Car? TfL Wants You To Give It To Ukraine
Help Ukraine, the environment - and get paid!
9 months ago
Help Ukraine, the environment - and get paid!
Londonist
9 Excellent Events Near London: January 2024
Dogs and beer - what more do you need?
12 months ago
Dogs and beer - what more do you need?
Londonist
This Oxford Circus Building Is The Mini Me Of An Iconic Manhattan Skyscraper
Palladium House is a tribute to the American Radiator Building.
10 months ago
Palladium House is a tribute to the American Radiator Building.
Londonist
Conkers In London: Where To Find Them, Where To Play
Our hard-hitting guide.
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 16-17 March 2024
Vintage clothes, live jazz, and the St Patrick's Day parade.
9 months ago
Vintage clothes, live jazz, and the St Patrick's Day parade.
diamond geezer
Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Things on Hills: Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Where the heck are we? The far side of Redbridge,...
a month ago
Things on Hills: Hog Hill and Dog Kennel Hill
Where the heck are we? The far side of Redbridge, almost in Havering
Be more precise: On the southern edge of Hainault Country Park
Nearest tube station: Fairlop, but 1½ miles away so hardly near
Nearest bus routes: both the 247 and...
Londonist
London Now Has Its First Statue Of Queen Elizabeth II
Bronze likeness unveiled at Royal Albert Hall.
a year ago
Bronze likeness unveiled at Royal Albert Hall.
Londonist
Tower Bridge: Rare Behind-The-Scenes Tours Now On Sale
Including a chance to explore the bascule chambers.
a year ago
Including a chance to explore the bascule chambers.
Londonist
25 Cheap Ways For Young People To See Culture In London
All the best discounts.
9 months ago
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
Unblogged 1984
30 unblogged things I did in April 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago,...
8 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in April 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago, indeed my Sinclair ZX81 wasn't capable of much, but here are 30 things I didn't digitally publish at the time. To help you get your bearings I was 19 and most of this is the Easter...
diamond geezer
Overground renaming - Severe Delays
One thing that happens when transport deadlines slip is that some things happen anyway, things that...
2 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
Things To Do In London On New Year's Day 2024
The best events in London on 1 January.
a year ago
The best events in London on 1 January.
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The FAA Bill Could Greatly Improve Air Travel—Here's How
a year ago
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...
The Forney Flyer
More From Liberia
I've really been enjoying being busy helping with the MAF flight operations in Liberia.
Shortly...
over a year ago
I've really been enjoying being busy helping with the MAF flight operations in Liberia.
Shortly after I landed at a remote location one day, our other aircraft, piloted by Ulrich Müeller, also landed (below) at the same airstrip.
I was about to load up two medical patients...
diamond geezer
Canteenlessness
I was out in the City at lunchtime, not far from St Paul's, and found myself amid a horde of...
2 months ago
I was out in the City at lunchtime, not far from St Paul's, and found myself amid a horde of businessfolk buying lunch. They were flocking to nearby shops, mainly specialist food outlets, for a calorific haul to tide them over into the afternoon. You could tell it was peak...
Londonist
The Boat Races 2024: How, Where And When To Watch Oxford Vs Cambridge
Plenty of riverside pubs to choose from.
9 months ago
Plenty of riverside pubs to choose from.
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
TfL Releases Treasure Trove Of Historic Tube Maps, Photos And More
The transport motherlode via Google Arts & Culture.
10 months ago
The transport motherlode via Google Arts & Culture.
Londonist
Easter 2024 Transport In London: Which Train And Tubes Are Running, And Which Stations Are Closed?
Got an egg hunt to go to? Read this first
9 months ago
Got an egg hunt to go to? Read this first
diamond geezer
10 Centuries in 1 Day
One of the capital's best places to go walking is the City of London, and what's more they have the...
7 months ago
One of the capital's best places to go walking is the City of London, and what's more they have the wherewithal to have created all sorts of self-guided walks for you to follow. 21 downloadable walks are listed on their old website (although they're increasingly hard to find...
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Upton Park And East Ham: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Hope you're hungry...
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
United Airlines Credit Cards Increase Sign-Up Bonuses
a year ago
diamond geezer
Route 24
A New Year means new digits, and new digits mean a series of posts about the number 24. I've chosen...
11 months ago
A New Year means new digits, and new digits mean a series of posts about the number 24. I've chosen to start with London's oldest unchanged bus route, the 24's north/south run from Hampstead down to Pimlico. Rest assured I won't be writing a full travelogue because I did that...
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: 13-19 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Inside South London's Pay-What-You-Can Cafe
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
8 months ago
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
diamond geezer
Lessons learned
40 things I've learnt about sex over the last 40 years
1) Nothing ever prepares you for the first...
6 months ago
40 things I've learnt about sex over the last 40 years
1) Nothing ever prepares you for the first time...
2) ... not even the fact that the biology textbook always falls open at the same page
3) The first time is always a ghastly mistake (I'm extrapolating this from a single...
diamond geezer
SL10
Route SL10: Harrow - North Finchley
Length of journey: 9 miles, 50 minutes
London gained a new...
a year ago
Route SL10: Harrow - North Finchley
Length of journey: 9 miles, 50 minutes
London gained a new outer orbital bus route yesterday, a peripheral dash connecting the boroughs of Harrow, Brent and Barnet.
new Superloop service, the previous four merely being existing routes...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, a hotel in Bali, Indonesia
a year ago
diamond geezer
Still hanging around
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in...
a year ago
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in National Trust properties but because an old post hit an international news aggregator. My post about Crossrail timewasting ended up on hckr news under the headline "25% of the 13 minute...
Londonist
Things To Keep You Busy For LGBT+ History Month 2024 In London
Museums, guided walks, cabaret and kids events.
11 months ago
Museums, guided walks, cabaret and kids events.
Londonist
Black History Month Events In London 2023
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
a year ago
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
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
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...
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...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 18-24 December 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Another tube map typo
Would you like to see another tube map typo?
It's not a spelling mistake it's a missing word, if...
2 weeks ago
Would you like to see another tube map typo?
It's not a spelling mistake it's a missing word, if that helps you spot it. Nobody at TfL spotted it, nor anybody at the printers, or if they did they just thought never mind let's use these duff maps anyway.
I've checked other...
Londonist
London New Year's Day Parade 2024: A Guide
Route, timings and where to watch the 1 January shindig.
a year ago
Route, timings and where to watch the 1 January shindig.
Londonist
Happisburgh: Where People Lived On The Thames A Million Years Ago
The Thames had history 40,000 generations before the Romans.
a year ago
The Thames had history 40,000 generations before the Romans.
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
Dive Into This Free Exhibition About Billingsgate Fish Market
Living the bream.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
The centre of London
The centre of London is generally taken to be the statue of Charles I on the south side of Trafalgar...
8 months ago
The centre of London is generally taken to be the statue of Charles I on the south side of Trafalgar Square. It sits on the site of the original Charing Cross and is also the point from which mileages are measured, as a plaque at its foot attests.
1) The centroid
centroid is...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ashley English’s Favorite Things to Do in Asheville
11 months ago
diamond geezer
10 things to see on the Liberty line
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what...
3 weeks ago
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what the Liberty line is all about. So here's my tip-top tourist guide to help you find the finest places in the locality, some of which are actually rather fine.
10 things to see on...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 20-21 January 2024
Two words: cheese market.
11 months ago
Two words: cheese market.
diamond geezer
My Saturday
My Saturday
diamond geezer
5am I awake early because there's not a moment to be wasted. I'll read...
10 months ago
My Saturday
diamond geezer
5am I awake early because there's not a moment to be wasted. I'll read for a while - the latest by Tess Gerritsen is a proper page turner - then leap purposefully out of bed and find a grapefruit to slice, perhaps a handful of berries. The cafetière...
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
Poverest
This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Poverest Tourist Board
Visit Poverest - London's Secret...
3 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
S2
This is the S2, a bus which ran between Clapton and my neck of the woods between 1970 and 2008, back...
9 months ago
This is the S2, a bus which ran between Clapton and my neck of the woods between 1970 and 2008, back when 'S' meant Stratford.
It now means Sutton, there already being an S1, S3 and S4 threading across the borough, but it's taken until 2024 for the gap to be filled with an...
Londonist
2024 Serpentine Pavilion Shaped Like A Shooting Star
Mass Studios has designed this year's offering.
11 months ago
Mass Studios has designed this year's offering.
Londonist
Win Tickets To The Glowing Land Of Lights Lantern Festival This Winter
Free entry for up to six people!
a year ago
Free entry for up to six people!
Londonist
The London Marathon 2024: A Complete Guide To Watching And Taking Part
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
8 months ago
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
Londonist
Inside London's New Women's Museum
Head east for London's latest cultural offering.
9 months ago
Head east for London's latest cultural offering.
diamond geezer
Ealing NEWS
North Ealing
northernmost point in the borough of Ealing. Which is here in the corner of Roxeth...
6 months ago
North Ealing
northernmost point in the borough of Ealing. Which is here in the corner of Roxeth Recreation Ground. North Ealing station is 4 miles away.
Roxeth Rec may be large but it's tucked into a dead end wedge between two railway lines, hidden behind a rack of terraced...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Denmark and Finland Are Must-Visits for Foodies
4 months 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...
2 weeks 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
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...
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
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 27 November-3 December 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Tulips In London: When And Where To See Them In And Around The Capital
Who needs Amsterdam?
9 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,...
diamond geezer
The Count 2024
For twenty-one consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
10 months ago
For twenty-one consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a stats-tastic 28-day feature called The Count. You therefore won't be surprised to hear that I intend to do exactly the same again this year....
Londonist
The No Trousers Tube Ride Returns To London This Weekend
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
11 months ago
It's January. Let's get half-naked on public transport.
diamond geezer
Climbing Campden Hill
A Nice Walk: Campden Hill (¾ mile)
Campden Hill, a full 42 metres above sea level. Here it is on a...
3 months ago
A Nice Walk: Campden Hill (¾ mile)
Campden Hill, a full 42 metres above sea level. Here it is on a topographic map, a raw bruise to the east of Holland Park, entirely untroubled by public transport. [1872 map] [2024 map]
Campden Hill rises to the south of Notting Hill Gate,...
diamond geezer
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...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 8-14 January 2024
All our best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
All our best articles from the past week.
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...
4 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
Summer Olympics of my lifetime
Summer Olympics of my lifetime
10th October 1964: Tokyo
Tokyo Melody by Helmut Zacharias - and...
4 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...
diamond geezer
Election triplepoint
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the...
5 months ago
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the Liberal Democrats have doubled their total to 6 and the Conservatives slumped to just 9. The electoral map of London is thus almost all red, with a yellow bloc to the southwest and a...
Spoon & Tamago
Tokyo Here & Now: Private Art and Design Tours by Mirit Weinstock
this post is sponsored by mirit weinstock Mirit Weinstock is an artist and designer living in Tokyo,...
10 months ago
this post is sponsored by mirit weinstock Mirit Weinstock is an artist and designer living in Tokyo, specializing in Japanese crafts and working in a variety of mediums. The creative director and founder of “Mirit Weinstock” jewelry brand, the artist is steeped in the Japanese...
Londonist
Fenwick Is Reopening As A Charity Shop For Two Weeks
Maybe you'll score some cheap Dior.
10 months ago
Maybe you'll score some cheap Dior.
AFAR Media - Travel...
3 Great California Travel Itineraries to Inspire Anyone
10 months ago
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
Cheese and Biscuits
The Union, Rye
Over the last, I don't know, ten or fifteen or so years - certainly since the expansion of the St...
over a year ago
Over the last, I don't know, ten or fifteen or so years - certainly since the expansion of the St John universe but also since places like Lyle's and the Sportsman and the Draper's Arms spread their wings - a kind of consensus has appeared on what constitutes a Modern British...
diamond geezer
Unblogged 1984
31 unblogged things I did in December 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago,...
3 days ago
31 unblogged things I did in December 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago, indeed my Sinclair ZX81 wasn't capable of much, but here are 31 things I didn't digitally publish at the time. To help you get your bearings I was 19 and December featured one week...
diamond geezer
September events diary 2024
It's almost September again but never fear, London's putting on a last flurry of events, activities...
3 months ago
It's almost September again but never fear, London's putting on a last flurry of events, activities and happenings before the nights draw in and we're all invited. Here's my weekend-by-weekend guide to free September delights.
All month
Totally Thames (Sep 1-30): Once again a...
diamond geezer
Let's vote again (Bow East version)
HYPERLOCAL HISTORY MONTH: Let's vote again
Bow East you're about to get another chance to place a...
4 months ago
HYPERLOCAL HISTORY MONTH: Let's vote again
Bow East you're about to get another chance to place a cross on a ballot paper, and all because 15302 voters put their cross on a ballot paper somewhere else.
by-election is being held in Bow East ward for a seat on Tower Hamlets...
Londonist
See A Flock Of 50 Sheep Herded Over Southwark Bridge This September
By a celebrity.
a year ago
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...
2 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...
Cheese and Biscuits
64 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia
The first thing we were given to eat at 64 Goodge Street was a little plate of truffle-cream...
5 months ago
The first thing we were given to eat at 64 Goodge Street was a little plate of truffle-cream gougères topped with shaved Comté. These turned out to be important for two reasons - firstly, they weren't on the menu and as unannounced bonus extra dishes go you could hardly do more...
Londonist
Fancy A Crack At The Crystal Maze? This Mind-Blowing Immersive Experience Lets You Do Just That!
Start! The! Fans!
9 months ago
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.
diamond geezer
Energen Close
While I was in Willesden, round the back of Taylors Lane Power Station, I came across this...
8 months ago
While I was in Willesden, round the back of Taylors Lane Power Station, I came across this oddly-named cul-de-sac. That's an odd name for a cul-de-sac, I thought. Why was Energen Close named after a private company?
Powergen, not Energen, although they were founded in 1989 so...
Londonist
That Time Someone Rode A Lambretta Down The Thames
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
a year ago
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Asheville Restaurants Refining Appalachian Culinary Traditions
11 months ago
Londonist
A Brief History Of Tower Bridge
The history behind London's iconic bridge
a year ago
The history behind London's iconic bridge
Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Euston Station's Great Hall
It would've been 175 years old this year... if it hadn't been reduced to rubble.
11 months ago
It would've been 175 years old this year... if it hadn't been reduced to rubble.
Londonist
An 'Accidentally Wes Anderson' Exhibition Is Coming To West London
So. Much. Pastel.
a year ago
Londonist
Wish You Were (Still) Here: Piccadilly's Egyptian Hall
London's most beautiful pastiche?
9 months ago
London's most beautiful pastiche?
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
Isometric Drawings of Sento, Kissaten and other Japanese Establishments by Honami Enya
rendering of the Takara-yu sento in Tokyo Japanese illustrator Enya Honami uses a style of...
4 months ago
rendering of the Takara-yu sento in Tokyo Japanese illustrator Enya Honami uses a style of architectural rendering known as isometric drawings to faithfully recreate cross-sections of Japanese public bathhouses, or sento. Honami is a skilled draughtswoman by trade, having...
Londonist
45+ Fantastic Things To Do In London This Month: November 2023
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
a year ago
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
a year ago
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
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.
Londonist
Charlie Brown's - The Story Of Limehouse's Incredible 'Pub Museum'
An Aladdin's Cave in the East End.
a year ago
An Aladdin's Cave in the East End.
Londonist
Where To Watch The Super Bowl 2024 In London
Screenings and parties across the capital.
11 months ago
Screenings and parties across the capital.
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...
a month 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
Revised Skyscraper Plans Could Make It Centimetres Taller Than The Shard
One Undershaft is going up in the world.
a year ago
One Undershaft is going up in the world.
AFAR Media - Travel...
New Luxury Cruises in the Adriatic and Baltic Seas
3 months ago
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...
6 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Are the 7 Best Hotels for Watching the Perseid Meteor Shower—and You Can Still Book Them
a year ago
diamond geezer
I've been to see some art
I've been to see some art.
Art West: Serpentine Gallery
Many's the time I've traipsed to the...
6 months ago
I've been to see some art.
Art West: Serpentine Gallery
Many's the time I've traipsed to the middle of Kensington Gardens only to be underwhelmed. Thankfully this time it was well worth the effort.
Yinka Shonibare CBE: Suspended States (until 1 September)
Yinka did the...
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 &...
diamond geezer
The Brockley Three Peaks
A Nice Walk: The Brockley Three Peaks (5 miles)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk,...
6 months ago
A Nice Walk: The Brockley Three Peaks (5 miles)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, triple-summited, great views, waterside stretches, plenty of up and down, easily reached, all-weather surfaces, a bit of history, occasional dead people, refreshment opportunities, two...
Londonist
TfL Launches A New Podcast Hosted By Tim Dunn
Guests include Tube Mapper and, er, Rylan.
a year ago
Guests include Tube Mapper and, er, Rylan.
Cheese and Biscuits
Papi, London Fields
"We'll need your table back in an hour and a half, is that OK?"
Still, there's a lot to like...
a year ago
"We'll need your table back in an hour and a half, is that OK?"
Still, there's a lot to like about Papi. It's one of those places where you want to order everything on the menu, and as the menu isn't that huge, if you take a couple of friends along you probably can. We...
Londonist
We Talk To John Rogers, Filmmaker And Author Of Welcome To New London
A true London legend.
a year ago
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
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.
diamond geezer
Bow Road
Anyone can visit Bow Road for free.
20 things to see on Bow Road
n.b. The following are all things...
a year ago
Anyone can visit Bow Road for free.
20 things to see on Bow Road
n.b. The following are all things I haven't blogged about before.
Odds
1) Autumn is a particularly good season to see Bow Road because many of our trees do the pretty yellow thing before the leaves fall...
Londonist
Doctor Who TARDIS And Sculpture Appear On South Bank
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
a year ago
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
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
Bonfire of the bonfires
Time was when bonfires and fireworks were the done thing on 5th November. Be it Jacobeans haranguing...
a year ago
Time was when bonfires and fireworks were the done thing on 5th November. Be it Jacobeans haranguing Catholics, Victorians burning effigies or Elizabethans lighting Roman Candles, the day has been celebrated for centuries. But it used to be hugely more important.
Monday,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Myrtle Beach Travel Guide for Travelers with Disabilities
3 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Mountain Villa in Yamanashi Integrates Landscape and Living Room
photos by Daici Ano courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects We have a serious case of real estate envy...
a year ago
photos by Daici Ano courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects We have a serious case of real estate envy here. House in Saiko is a holiday home that overlooks Mount Fuji on the shore of Lake Saiko, one of the five Fuji Lakes. Designed by architect Keiji Ashizawa, and completed in 2017,...
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
This Halloween, a Zombie Shinkansen Will Travel Between Tokyo and Osaka
Want a taste of the frights but too busy to go to a haunted house? How about a haunted train? This...
2 months ago
Want a taste of the frights but too busy to go to a haunted house? How about a haunted train? This year, a Tokaido shinkansen, in what is being called the world’s first zombie bullet train, will travel between Tokyo and Osaka. The stage will be set in car 16 of the “Nozomi 435”...
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...
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...
diamond geezer
Unblogged October
31 unblogged things I did in October
Sun 1: If you're putting together a 'Joyridden Cars Smashed...
a year ago
31 unblogged things I did in October
Sun 1: If you're putting together a 'Joyridden Cars Smashed Into Bus Shelters' Calendar, this is the ideal photo for November.
Mon 2: I've been enjoying the podcast Uncharted with Hannah Fry in which the BBC's go-to mathematician tells...
diamond geezer
A nice Starbucks walk
A Nice Walk: Tottenham Court Road (½ mile)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing...
10 months ago
A Nice Walk: Tottenham Court Road (½ mile)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, a bit of a stroll, lots to see, centrally located, historic buildings, well connected, retail proximity, easy to follow, multiple refreshment opportunities, won't take...
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...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 19-25 February 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
Londonist
How To Spend A (Relatively Cheap) Weekend In Florence
We did say relatively.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Mary Place and Joseph Avenue
At this time of year I like to blog about a festively-named London street, however mundane it might...
a year 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...
Spoon & Tamago
Tentacle-Inspired Leather Accessories Handcrafted by Cokeco
Cokeco are a Fukuoka-based design duo who create leather accessories inspired by the natural...
3 months ago
Cokeco are a Fukuoka-based design duo who create leather accessories inspired by the natural curiosities of the world around them. Lately, their attention has been focused on sealife: specifically, our multi-limbed mollusc friends whose tentacles provide endless inspiration for...
AFAR Media - Travel...
8 Lesser-Known Places to Visit in the Nordic Countries
4 months ago
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 14-20 August 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Where To Watch The Six Nations 2024 In London
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
11 months ago
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
Londonist
What's Happening With London Housing, Rent And Development? November 2023
Our quickfire summary of bricks and mortar, steel and glass.
a year ago
Our quickfire summary of bricks and mortar, steel and glass.
Londonist
Regent's Park Is Getting A New Garden Dedicated To The Late Queen
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
11 months ago
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
Spoon & Tamago
Trunk Hotel’s Newest Yoyogi Park Location Embraces Its Neighboring Park and City
photos by Tomooki Kengaki courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park is a new...
a year ago
photos by Tomooki Kengaki courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park is a new boutique hotel located in Tokyo’s quiet Tomigaya neighborhood that just opened this month. Designed by architect Keiji Ashizawa, the 7-story hotel has 25 rooms, a restaurant and a...
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Boxing Day 2023
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
a year ago
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
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...
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...
diamond geezer
London Countries - Albania
For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be writing a full alphabetical series of posts called London...
7 months ago
For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be writing a full alphabetical series of posts called London Countries.
But think more deeply and it's actually a terrible idea, at least in its entirety, which is why it won't be happening.
Albania and I'd be starting to scrape the...
Londonist
London's Smallest Art Gallery Is In A Phone Box Outside The British Museum
You can buy the art, too.
a year ago
You can buy the art, too.
diamond geezer
Random Grid Square TQ2492
Greater London contains around 2000 National Grid squares, each 1km by 1km in size. What I like to...
4 months ago
Greater London contains around 2000 National Grid squares, each 1km by 1km in size. What I like to do, very occasionally, is pick one at random, visit it and write about what's there.
Which random grid square did I pick? TQ2492
Where is it? Frith Manor in the borough of Barnet,...
diamond geezer
NewsBites From Norfolk
NewsBites From Norfolk
(It's been a busy week)
n.b. one of these didn't actually happen, sorry.
5 months ago
NewsBites From Norfolk
(It's been a busy week)
n.b. one of these didn't actually happen, sorry.
Londonist
Superloop Gets A Bit Loopier With SL5 Bromley To Croydon Bus
New fast service for south London.
10 months ago
New fast service for south London.
Londonist
Review: Yoko Ono's Music Of The Mind Is Bizarre, Baffling, Laughable, Brilliant
Immersive retrospective lands at Tate.
10 months ago
Immersive retrospective lands at Tate.
diamond geezer
London's triple points
There are six points around the Greater London boundary where three counties...
a year ago
There are six points around the Greater London boundary where three counties meet.
London/Kent/Surrey
Specifically: Biggin Hill/Westerham/Tatsfield
Location: Rag Hill
To get here take a walk along the quiet twisty country lane that wends between Tatsfield Green and the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Away Just Updated its Classic Suitcases With a New Design
a year ago