diamond geezer
The Wombles
April 1974 wasn't all about ABBA, it was also about the Wombles.
Top 5 singles, week ending 27...
8 months ago
April 1974 wasn't all about ABBA, it was also about the Wombles.
Top 5 singles, week ending 27 April 1974
1) Seasons In The Sun (Terry Jacks)
2) Waterloo (Abba)
3) The Cat Crept In (Mud)
4) Remember You're A Womble (Wombles)
5) Angel Face (Glitter Band)
As a nine year-old I was...
Londonist
Can You Set Off Your Own Fireworks In London?
DIY whizzbangs, explained.
a year ago
DIY whizzbangs, explained.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Places for Art, Music, and Theater in Asheville
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Tips for Exploring L.A.'s Northern Shopping Districts
2 months ago
diamond geezer
Superloop 2
Yesterday's big reveal from would-be Mayor-to-be Sadiq was a major extension to the Superloop...
8 months ago
Yesterday's big reveal from would-be Mayor-to-be Sadiq was a major extension to the Superloop express bus network. Phase 1 has ten routes and the plan is to add another ten and call it Superloop 2. There's a map and everything.
The most important thing on the map is the box in...
diamond geezer
The Smudge of Remembrance
n.b. All the photos in this post were taken this week.
The Smudge of Remembrance
This key project...
2 months ago
n.b. All the photos in this post were taken this week.
The Smudge of Remembrance
This key project is called The Smudge of Remembrance and has been comprehensively curated to create spectral moments of commemoration firmly rooted in the everyday.
Some iterations are almost...
Cheese and Biscuits
Nandine, Camberwell
Another week, another fantastic new restaurant in Camberwell. I try not to moan too much on this...
10 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
Dull Saturday
Dull Saturday
07:30 Crumpet
08:00 Paper shop
5 months ago
Dull Saturday
07:30 Crumpet
08:00 Paper shop
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
Behind The Red Moon
Big Brother isn't the only cultural phenomenon dividing public opinion annually since the turn of...
a year ago
Big Brother isn't the only cultural phenomenon dividing public opinion annually since the turn of the millennium. There's also the giant artwork in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, which over the years has been amazing, tedious, thought-provoking, bland, must-see, involving,...
diamond geezer
Draw-Off
For a few weeks every November the water level in the Thames in west London is deliberately...
a month ago
For a few weeks every November the water level in the Thames in west London is deliberately lowered.
Draw-Off and it exposes more of the riverbed than usual.
In order to carry out essential maintenance works on Richmond lock, weirs and sluices, it is necessary to hold up the...
diamond geezer
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
Leap day
Leap day - 29 leap facts for February 29th
1) Leap years occur quadrennially, that's every four...
9 months ago
Leap day - 29 leap facts for February 29th
1) Leap years occur quadrennially, that's every four years. They're required because a solar year is almost exactly 365¼ days long, and over a four year period those four quarter-days add up to make one whole extra day.
2) Today is the...
Londonist
Black History Month Events In London 2023
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
a year ago
Walks, talks, markets and music legends.
Londonist
The Ballot For Wimbledon 2024 Is Now Open
Ace!
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Explore Maine’s Outdoors and Dining—a Local's Guide
4 months ago
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 2-3 December 2023
It's beginning to look a lot like Chr...
a year ago
It's beginning to look a lot like Chr...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Redeem AmEx Membership Rewards Points for Top Value
a year ago
Londonist
Lord Mayor Demonstrates Einstein's Time Dilation Effects In The City's Tallest Skyscraper
With a little help from the National Physical Laboratory.
9 months ago
With a little help from the National Physical Laboratory.
Londonist
Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs Getting A Glow-Up - As Part Of Huge Park Revamp
Italian Terraces will also be restored and replanted with wildflowers.
9 months ago
Italian Terraces will also be restored and replanted with wildflowers.
diamond geezer
The zone 1 challenge
It's time once again to go on a pointlessly challenging train journey.
How many zone 1 stations can...
2 months ago
It's time once again to go on a pointlessly challenging train journey.
How many zone 1 stations can you travel through without repeating any?
And there are 72 zone 1 stations altogether, so it's going to be a long journey.
It's perhaps best to think of the question as...
Londonist
HOW MUCH Sewage Did Thames Water Pump Into The Thames?
We do the math.
a year ago
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
Which Tube Station Is Furthest From Its Namesake?
How far is it from Kew Gardens to Kew Gardens?
a year ago
How far is it from Kew Gardens to Kew Gardens?
diamond geezer
Notes from the SL1
Notes from the SL1
Route SL1: North Finchley - Walthamstow Central
Length of journey: 10 miles, 50...
a year ago
Notes from the SL1
Route SL1: North Finchley - Walthamstow Central
Length of journey: 10 miles, 50 minutes
• The SL1 is the second new Superloop route, as opposed to a rebrand. It's also the first, numerically speaking, although nobody has ever satisfactorily explained why...
diamond geezer
Vehicle registration pairs
My latest numberplate-spotting game is trying to spot all the pairs of letters at the start of a...
10 months ago
My latest numberplate-spotting game is trying to spot all the pairs of letters at the start of a vehicle registration plate.
AA AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AJ AK AL AM AN AO AP...
You might expect there to be 26×26 = 676 possible combinations, but the letters I, Q and Z are never...
Londonist
London's Cemetery For Heroic Animals
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
a year ago
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
diamond geezer
London's most...
Superlative posts
I write a lot of posts about longest/shortest/highest/quickest/closest/first/last...
a year ago
Superlative posts
I write a lot of posts about longest/shortest/highest/quickest/closest/first/last things so I thought I'd try compiling a clickable list. It took a while because I've written over 10000 posts, and it's bound to be incomplete for the same reason. But here it is...
Londonist
Things To Do In London In The Easter Holidays 2024
Family-friendly events in the capital this spring.
9 months ago
Family-friendly events in the capital this spring.
Londonist
9 Things To Do In London To Brighten Up The Dark Nights
It's not all doom and gloom.
a year ago
It's not all doom and gloom.
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...
diamond geezer
Exiting Noak Hill
I said I wasn't going to make a habit of this, and I'm not, but I've ticked off two 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 two more.
The black ticks are all the crossings I've crossed and the latest two are the pair just northeast of Noak Hill. I walked out of one and back in via the other. In the middle were...
Londonist
A Brief History Of Tower Bridge
The history behind London's iconic bridge
a year ago
The history behind London's iconic bridge
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Friends’ Trip at Pendry Park City Resort, Utah
2 weeks ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Away Just Updated its Classic Suitcases With a New Design
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
The Asuke II Cruise Ship is a Floating Museum of Traditional Craftwork
Over 50 pieces of traditional craftwork (dento kogei) are on display on the Asuka II cruise ship for...
6 months ago
Over 50 pieces of traditional craftwork (dento kogei) are on display on the Asuka II cruise ship for a project organized by the Japan Kogei Association, a Tokyo-based group comprising artisans nationwide, and Anchor Ship Partners Co., a shareholder of the company that operates...
One from Nippon
The Surprising Roots of Japan's Indian Curry
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
Senko Hanabi Earrings are the Perfect Summer Accessory
Summer in Japan is not summer in Japan without fireworks. The tradition originated over 280 years...
a year ago
Summer in Japan is not summer in Japan without fireworks. The tradition originated over 280 years ago as a means of warding off epidemics and today, no matter where you are in Japan, you can be sure to encounter fireworks festivals both large and small. And while the grand...
diamond geezer
The fares post
The fares post
announcement yesterday about trialling off-peak fares on Fridays.
Here's the...
10 months ago
The fares post
announcement yesterday about trialling off-peak fares on Fridays.
Here's the start of the press release.
• Off-peak journeys on Fridays could transform the morning commute for Londoners and provide a welcome further boost to London’s economy
The plan is to...
diamond geezer
Sharpenhoe Clappers
Over the weekend I went to Sharpenhoe Clappers.
The Canine Activity paragraph
memorial stone at...
8 months ago
Over the weekend I went to Sharpenhoe Clappers.
The Canine Activity paragraph
memorial stone at Sharpenhoe Clappers because just before I reached it I encountered a group of young people with two dogs. I wasn't at all pleased when the bull terrier looked up and started running...
diamond geezer
Random Remembrance
Every London borough hosts a Remembrance event, maybe several.
The parade lines up outside the...
a month ago
Every London borough hosts a Remembrance event, maybe several.
The parade lines up outside the museum and awaits the signal. Everyone important's here, all the civic dignitaries apart from those who've been delegated to officiate at the borough's three other memorials. The...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Artistic Side of Aspen: A Guide for Culture Lovers
7 months ago
Londonist
Things To Look Forward To In London In 2024
The biggest things happening in the capital over the next 12 months.
12 months ago
The biggest things happening in the capital over the next 12 months.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 1-7 April 2024
Our top stories from the last seven days.
8 months ago
Our top stories from the last seven days.
Londonist
Where To Go Pumpkin Picking Near London This Autumn
Oh. My. GOURD.
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Are the 7 Best Hotels for Watching the Perseid Meteor Shower—and You Can Still Book Them
a year ago
Londonist
We're Getting Fired Up About This Hot Sauce Festival In Peckham
Enjoy the spicier things in life.
8 months ago
Enjoy the spicier things in life.
Londonist
It Wasn't Fun Unwrapping Christmas Parcels At Mount Pleasant In 1927
"We are absolutely fed up with Christmas" complained staff.
a year ago
"We are absolutely fed up with Christmas" complained staff.
diamond geezer
Free Parking
FREE
🚗
PARKING
As my tour of London's Monopoly board
reaches the halfway...
5 months ago
FREE
🚗
PARKING
As my tour of London's Monopoly board
reaches the halfway point,
halfway through the year,
let's go in hunt of Free Parking.
Parking in central London is difficult, deliberately so, and generally not free. Yellow lines are everywhere, invisible...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 12-18 February 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Stooky Bill: The Sinister Puppet From Doctor Who Was Real
And where to see him in London.
a year ago
And where to see him in London.
Londonist
Artist Will Lie On Tower Bridge's Glass Walkway All Day This Saturday
Thought-provoking work from Anahita Harding.
9 months ago
Thought-provoking work from Anahita Harding.
Londonist
Where To Be Scottish In London
Kilty pleasures
a year ago
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...
Herbert Lui
The vessel heuristic
What if, when you made art, you weren’t expressing yourself? What if you were a vessel for something...
a week ago
What if, when you made art, you weren’t expressing yourself? What if you were a vessel for something greater to express themselves through? “The human mind is literally an antenna,” Pharrell says. “It picks up waves and transmissions from the ultimate source, from the ether.”...
Spoon & Tamago
Go See 5.3 Million Baby Blue Eye Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan
photo by teerayut hiruntaraporn Japan’s cherry blossoms usually get all the attention for their...
a year ago
photo by teerayut hiruntaraporn Japan’s cherry blossoms usually get all the attention for their short-lived beauty. But equally ephemeral are Japan’s Nemophila, or Baby Blue Eyes. And once a year, around late April to Early May, an astounding sea of 5.3 million of these little...
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
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Best Fall Getaways: 3 American Cities You Must Visit
6 months ago
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 5-11 February 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
Londonist
Miracle At Henrietta: The Christmassiest Bar In London
It's Kiiiiiiiitschmas!
a year ago
Londonist
Fancy A Crack At The Crystal Maze? This Mind-Blowing Immersive Experience Lets You Do Just That!
Start! The! Fans!
9 months ago
diamond geezer
Pointless push-button crossings
There are seven pedestrian crossings at the Bow Roundabout.
This one's worthwhile.
However this...
7 months ago
There are seven pedestrian crossings at the Bow Roundabout.
This one's worthwhile.
However this one's useless.
This one's useless too.
And what's interesting is that people generally don't realise this and press the buttons anyway. Parents heading to the shops press the...
Londonist
13 Excellent Events Near London: February 2024
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
10 months ago
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
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
Peckham Festival: Free 3-Day Party Comes To SE15 London This September
Music, workshops, crafts, food - you name it.
a year ago
Music, workshops, crafts, food - you name it.
Spoon & Tamago
‘Ye Bakers’ is a New Bakery Nestled Inside an Aichi Home
In a residential neighborhood, a small bakery is designed to integrate seamlessly with its...
a year ago
In a residential neighborhood, a small bakery is designed to integrate seamlessly with its surroundings while maintaining its commercial purpose.
Related posts:
Noma’s New Pop Up by OEO Studio in Kyoto
Interior Designer Shigeru Uchida: 1943 – 2016
House Tour: Yoyogi Artist...
diamond geezer
Open House (3)
For Open House this weekend I visited twelve different and varied properties, ranging from...
3 months ago
For Open House this weekend I visited twelve different and varied properties, ranging from underwhelm to amazeballs. I'll save the wow until later but here are brief reports on the others, hopefully as testament that exploring otherwise inaccessible spaces is an opportunity not...
diamond geezer
Interview with a Bus Rescheduler
An interview with Liam Fennell, TfL Bus Rescheduler
DG: Hi Liam, tell us what you do.
Liam: Hi, I'm...
11 months ago
An interview with Liam Fennell, TfL Bus Rescheduler
DG: Hi Liam, tell us what you do.
Liam: Hi, I'm the guy who slows the buses down.
DG: I've always wondered who that was.
Liam: It's quite a responsibility!
DG: So how does that work?
Liam: You know when you're on a bus, pootling...
diamond geezer
Tube 160 Treasure Hunt
Are you at a loose end tomorrow? Do you like looking at station architecture? Would you like a...
11 months ago
Are you at a loose end tomorrow? Do you like looking at station architecture? Would you like a surprise birthday gift from TfL? If the answer to all these questions is yes then why not take part in the Tube 160 Treasure Hunt? You even get to travel round central London for...
Londonist
That Time Someone Rode A Lambretta Down The Thames
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
a year ago
Spoiler alert: it later sank.
diamond geezer
BBC Breaking News alerts
Like millions of Britons I have the BBC News app on my phone, and like millions of Britons I get...
3 months ago
Like millions of Britons I have the BBC News app on my phone, and like millions of Britons I get Breaking News alerts flashed to me on my screen when something happens. But all too often I find myself thinking "That's not breaking news", or even "that's not news", as another...
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...
diamond geezer
The disappearing Status updates map
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
Status...
a week ago
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
Status updates page on the TfL website where for the last ten years you've been able to see a map of disruptions to the network.
The map was removed three weeks ago when the big...
diamond geezer
The 20 year-old 2016 tube map
20 years ago this week TfL published a map of what their transport network might look like in...
5 months ago
20 years ago this week TfL published a map of what their transport network might look like in 2016.
(technically it was 20 years ago last week, but the actual anniversary was election day and we were all otherwise occupied)
The map has obviously disappeared from the TfL...
Londonist
Sing Along To Beyoncé's Greatest Hits - As Played By A Brass Band
Old Dirty Brasstards mix things up.
10 months ago
Old Dirty Brasstards mix things up.
Londonist
5 London Underground Stations That Totally Ripped Off Other Buildings
From Berlin to Amsterdam to Moscow.
10 months ago
From Berlin to Amsterdam to Moscow.
diamond geezer
Six 15-minute posts
Here are six brief posts, none of which I spent more than 15 minutes on.
1) The consultation...
4 months ago
Here are six brief posts, none of which I spent more than 15 minutes on.
1) The consultation report for "Extending the DLR from Gallions Reach to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead" has just been published. At this very early stage in the project it focused on asking people...
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
Havant
Until yesterday I hadn't been to Havant.
Havant is a large town in southeast Hampshire on the way...
4 months ago
Until yesterday I hadn't been to Havant.
Havant is a large town in southeast Hampshire on the way to Portsmouth.
They Havant got many old buildings because most of the town burnt in a fire in 1760. Only the church and a row of cottages survived.
St Faith's and they found...
Londonist
The Must-See London Exhibitions To Look Forward To In 2024
A glance ahead to the capital's upcoming blockbuster exhibitions.
a year ago
A glance ahead to the capital's upcoming blockbuster exhibitions.
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.
Spoon & Tamago
You’ll Soon Be Able to Stay in One of Japan’s Most Beautifully Designed Prisons
photos by Masashi Mizowaki and Takaharu Yagi Spending the night in jail is usually not a good thing....
a year ago
photos by Masashi Mizowaki and Takaharu Yagi Spending the night in jail is usually not a good thing. Unless of course you’re staying in Japan’s Nara Prison, a historic red-brick structure built in 1908 with western archways and onion domes that lend an air of castle more than...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Vacation Ideas for Families with Neurodivergent Children
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
This is the Time of Year Bamboo Shoots Grow, Sometimes Wreaking Havoc
a triptych by Toyokuni Utagawa depicting an excursion to gather bamboo shoots (early 1800s)...
7 months ago
a triptych by Toyokuni Utagawa depicting an excursion to gather bamboo shoots (early 1800s) According to Japan’s ancient calendar of 72 microseasons, right now is microseason 21: the time of year when “Bamboo Shoots Sprout.” Known as takenoko in Japan, these voracious plants have...
Londonist
Inside South London's Pay-What-You-Can Cafe
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
8 months ago
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
diamond geezer
National Gallery 200
The National Gallery first threw open its doors 200 years ago today. It wasn't in Trafalgar Square...
7 months ago
The National Gallery first threw open its doors 200 years ago today. It wasn't in Trafalgar Square at the time, that hadn't been built yet, but at 100 Pall Mall in a dead banker's townhouse. Here John Julius Angerstein's small collection of Old Masters was displayed, slowly...
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
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...
Myrtle Beach’s Sensory-Friendly Hotels, Spots, Restaurants
3 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Most Exciting Travel Destinations in the U.S. to Visit
a year ago
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Music-Themed Museums to Visit in Washington D.C.
7 months ago
Londonist
The New DLR Trains Could Have Toy Steering Wheels Installed
Best. News. Ever.
11 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Hida Takayama Distillery is Making Whiskey in an Abandoned School, Aging it in a Local Dam
Takane Elementary School and Takane No.2 Dam | images courtesy Hida Takayama A key strategy to...
a year ago
Takane Elementary School and Takane No.2 Dam | images courtesy Hida Takayama A key strategy to reducing our environmental impact involves integrating principles of a circular economy that prioritizes reuse, recovery, and refurbishment of existing infrastructure and resources. The...
Londonist
SWANA Clubs In London, And How They Give Me A Sense Of Cultural Identity
Finding yourself in the rhythmic pulse of Arabian music.
10 months ago
Finding yourself in the rhythmic pulse of Arabian music.
diamond geezer
Pig Farm Alley
Underwhelming London: Pig Farm Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Farm Alley is a long straight path, off...
3 months ago
Underwhelming London: Pig Farm Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Farm Alley is a long straight path, off limits to traffic, in the London borough of Sutton. It runs from Trafalgar Avenue, off Stonecot Hill, to an edgeland nomansland by the Lower Morden Equestrian Centre. It's about a...
Spoon & Tamago
Coworking Space in Kinosaki Onsen Encourages Users to Take Bath Breaks
Photo: Madoka Nishiyama courtesy KIAC This might very well be the coworking space of our dreams. The...
a year ago
Photo: Madoka Nishiyama courtesy KIAC This might very well be the coworking space of our dreams. The Kinosaki International Art Center (KIAC) is a multipurpose community center located in Kinosaki Onsen, a quaint town on the coast of Japan that’s known for their natural hot...
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 Best, Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Portugal
a year ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Med Salleh Viet, Earl's Court
It's a funny old part of town is Earl's Court. Not quite Kensington, not quite Chelsea, not many...
a month ago
It's a funny old part of town is Earl's Court. Not quite Kensington, not quite Chelsea, not many reasons to visit (certainly not since the conference center/arena got pulled down), it's these days little more than a fairly ordinary provincial high street dumped in West London,...
Londonist
The Most Festive Christmas Afternoon Teas In London This Year
Scones and cakes with a seasonal twist.
a year ago
Scones and cakes with a seasonal twist.
The Forney Flyer
Rib Day - 2 Year Anniversary Celebration!
Two years ago, on October 17th, this happened...
Long story short, I got knocked off my...
over a year ago
Two years ago, on October 17th, this happened...
Long story short, I got knocked off my motorcycle by a drunk driver, and then a different vehicle, a large Toyota Landcruiser (SUV) promptly drove over me, right across my torso. I should have died right then and there, and...
Spoon & Tamago
Repurposing Japan’s Glut of Empty Homes as Greenhouses
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic and immediate impact on Yuichiro Shimizu’s taxi business. As...
a year ago
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic and immediate impact on Yuichiro Shimizu’s taxi business. As early as January 2020, Nichiei Taxi, a local business that has been servicing Saitama prefecture for over 50 years, saw their revenue drop by a staggering 80%. To save the company,...
diamond geezer
Banksy's animals
Over the course of this week, the artist Bansky has been out daily painting an animal at various...
4 months ago
Over the course of this week, the artist Bansky has been out daily painting an animal at various locations across London. The sequence of events generally goes like this.
Overnight: Bansky (or his henchpeople) paint an animal silhouette on a wall somewhere.
Early morning: Local...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 2-3 September 2023
A vintage sale, a David Bowie club night, and a wealth of festivals to kickstart September.
a year ago
A vintage sale, a David Bowie club night, and a wealth of festivals to kickstart September.
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),...
Londonist
Latest Superloop Route Opens - With Another Due In December
SL10 is now running between Harrow and North Finchley.
a year ago
SL10 is now running between Harrow and North Finchley.
Londonist
Big Improvement In London's Roadside Pollution, Says Report
NO2 levels plummet, but more to be done.
9 months ago
NO2 levels plummet, but more to be done.
Londonist
Charles Dickens, Dog Lover: Exhibition Explores Animal-Adoring Side Of Author
Less Bleak House, more Beak House.
8 months ago
Less Bleak House, more Beak House.
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...
Spoon & Tamago
Abstract Paintings by Yuna Ogina Depict Intimate Human Connections
Tokyo-based artist Ogino Yuna creates semi-abstract paintings using motifs of living things that are...
4 months ago
Tokyo-based artist Ogino Yuna creates semi-abstract paintings using motifs of living things that are familiar to her, such as flowers and people. But for her latest exhibition, which just opened in Tokyo, the artist has pointed her brush at one of the most basic yet intimate...
diamond geezer
perhaps your most incredibly dull post
According to a reader, my investigation of the five smallest parks in Barking and Dagenham was...
2 weeks ago
According to a reader, my investigation of the five smallest parks in Barking and Dagenham was "perhaps your most incredibly dull post".
All the buses in Barking and Dagenham in alphabetical order
What I had for dinner on December 4th for the last 45 years
1980 roast
1981...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 4-10 December 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
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
Things To Do This Week In London: 13-19 November 2023
Winter Wonderland, Doctor Who, Elf The Musical and Christmas at Kew.
a year ago
Winter Wonderland, Doctor Who, Elf The Musical and Christmas at Kew.
Spoon & Tamago
The 2023 Spoon & Tamago Gift Guide
2023 felt like a turning point for Japan. After several years of covid-induced seclusion, tourism...
a year ago
2023 felt like a turning point for Japan. After several years of covid-induced seclusion, tourism rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. And although just anecdotal, so many people we spoke to who previously had no connection to Japan, were planning trips and honeymoons that it truly...
Spoon & Tamago
Japan’s Jimi ‘Mundane’ Halloween Costumes of 2024
Happy Jimi Halloween to everyone who celebrates. It’s that wonderful time of year when our favorite...
a month ago
Happy Jimi Halloween to everyone who celebrates. It’s that wonderful time of year when our favorite Japanese festival, Jimi Halloween, is on full display. Mundane Halloween, as we coined it back in 2018, is when people dress up in costumes so mundane they have to be explained....
Londonist
10 London Buildings Added To Heritage At Risk Register
Historic England's annual list gains 10 more entries.
a year ago
Historic England's annual list gains 10 more entries.
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Alberta Winter Getaway for Nature, Wellness, and Culture
a month ago
diamond geezer
The London Monopoly board
Free
ParkingStrand
Fleet Street
Trafalgar SquareFenchurch
Street
stationLeicester Square
Coventry...
yesterday
Free
ParkingStrand
Fleet Street
Trafalgar SquareFenchurch
Street
stationLeicester Square
Coventry St
Water Works
PiccadillyGo To
Jail
Vine Street
Marlborough
Street
Bow StreetMONOPOLY
(the full clickable set)Regent Street
Oxford Street
Bond...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Asheville Restaurants Refining Appalachian Culinary Traditions
11 months ago
diamond geezer
W12W13W14
Over the weekend TfL withdrew bus route 549, extended route W13 and substantially restructured...
3 months ago
Over the weekend TfL withdrew bus route 549, extended route W13 and substantially restructured routes W12 and W14. I wrote about the changes last week, and how TfL's information strategy relied substantially on a very complicated map. I went back yesterday to see how the...
Londonist
"Sensationally Naff": The 1995 Plans To Rebrand Tube Stations After Advertisers
Tube sponsorship is nothing new.
9 months ago
Tube sponsorship is nothing new.
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.
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Dublin
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
12 months ago
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
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...
Londonist
Brixton Tube Station Gets A New Artwork From Jem Perucchini
Rebirth of a Nation adds a bright touch to station entrance.
a year ago
Rebirth of a Nation adds a bright touch to station entrance.
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
Good / Not Good
GOOD
NOT GOOD
8 months ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Crispin at Studio Voltaire, Clapham Common
Although my useless photos hardly do it justice (let's just get that out of the way from the start),...
6 days ago
Although my useless photos hardly do it justice (let's just get that out of the way from the start), Crispin at Studio Voltaire is a lovely space to eat in. The candles on each table aren't the only source of light, but provide a romantic accessory to the tealights dangling above...
Londonist
Review: Fantasy: Realms Of The Imagination At The British Library
The genre finally gets the exhibition it deserves.
a year ago
The genre finally gets the exhibition it deserves.
Londonist
London On Fire: Paintings Of The Blitz By The Firefighters Who Were There
City's darkest hour captured in vivid paint.
a year ago
City's darkest hour captured in vivid paint.
Herbert Lui
Just do the real thing (again)
If you want to get good at something, just start by doing it. Today. Sam Altman writes an important...
a week ago
If you want to get good at something, just start by doing it. Today. Sam Altman writes an important reminder on this: don’t outsmart yourself and spend precious time and energy working on fake prerequisites. Here’s an example, from my life, that I write about in Creative Doing:...
Cheese and Biscuits
Nord, Liverpool
In a town that already plays host to wonderful places like Wreckfish and Manifest, you'd think that...
a year ago
In a town that already plays host to wonderful places like Wreckfish and Manifest, you'd think that the opening of another reasonably-priced, seasonal modern British restaurant in the centre of Liverpool would be a shoo-in for success. With demand already proven for this kind of...
diamond geezer
River Wogebourne
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead...
7 months ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead (5 miles)
The Wogebourne is a five mile tributary of the River Thames in the southeast London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, that flows generally in a northeasterly direction,...
Londonist
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
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...
Londonist
London Transport Museum Is Throwing A Special Friday Late For Students
London Calling takes place on 6 October.
a year ago
London Calling takes place on 6 October.
Londonist
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.
Londonist
Sing With Dogs In Church At Battersea's Barking Mad 2023 Carol Concert
An un-fur-gettable Christmas event in London.
a year ago
An un-fur-gettable Christmas event in London.
diamond geezer
PR bumf round-up
I haven't whinged about unsolicited PR emails for a while because I don't get as many as I used to....
2 weeks ago
I haven't whinged about unsolicited PR emails for a while because I don't get as many as I used to. But they still trickle in, generally from hopeful marketeers with a press release to regurgitate or a plea to amplify some sponsored content. We don't do that here, thanks.
Zarya...
Spoon & Tamago
Craft Your Own Salt From Over 600 Varieties at this New Salt Specialist in Tokyo
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo....
3 months ago
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo. Located just a few steps away from Tokyo Sky Tree is “Guruguru Shakashaka,” a salt specialty store that lets you explore 600 varieties of salt and then blend your own. Equally unique...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Inside the New Delta Sky Club Lounge at NY’s JFK Airport
a year ago
Londonist
Never Before Seen Images Of The Rolling Stones To Go On Show In Notting Hill
27 rare pics of Mick, Keef and co.
10 months ago
27 rare pics of Mick, Keef and co.
Londonist
The Legendary India Club Is Closing Next Month
Restaurant owners are "heartbroken".
a year ago
Restaurant owners are "heartbroken".
One from Nippon
A peek inside Japan's largest Dagashi store
Every morning, 67-year Hideyuki Akiyama drives to his store along the rural roads of Okayama in...
a year ago
Every morning, 67-year Hideyuki Akiyama drives to his store along the rural roads of Okayama in Western Japan. Today is no different. A line of excited customers queuing up before the shutters are open.
“Disneyland isn’t our land of dreams, this is!” says one 20-something woman.
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.
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
American Airlines’ Top Credit Card Offers 100K Mile Bonus
a year ago
diamond geezer
Looking ahead to 2024
Looking ahead to 2024
Jan: Londoners ignore the New Year Parade; the popular blog diamond geezer...
11 months ago
Looking ahead to 2024
Jan: Londoners ignore the New Year Parade; the popular blog diamond geezer publishes a New Year quiz but in the afternoon when regular readers aren't expecting it; this year's Apprentice candidates are grating smug muppets
Feb: new London bus routes include...
Londonist
Vintage Football Shirts: The Best And Oddest From Every Big London Club
New book delves deep into the world of vintage collectables.
a year ago
New book delves deep into the world of vintage collectables.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Inside Marie Antoinette’s Reopened Apartment At Versailles
a year ago
diamond geezer
Brent Cross West, West and East
The new Brent Cross West station serves two very different communities either side of the tracks....
a year ago
The new Brent Cross West station serves two very different communities either side of the tracks. You could call them Brent Cross West West and Brent Cross West East. Neither is buzzing with potential passengers.
Brent Cross West West is commercial and car-dominated, as befits...
diamond geezer
My review of 2024
It's the time of year for looking back so here are some of the unblogged places I've been in...
11 months ago
It's the time of year for looking back so here are some of the unblogged places I've been in 2024.
Beddington: the view from that bench is truly miserable
Biggin Hill: I powered up Polesteeple Hill for nothing
Blackwall Tunnel: wow, just look at the new one
Bounds Green: every...
Londonist
Literary Footprints 2024: Walking Tours Around Literary London
Love books? Love London? Love this.
10 months ago
Love books? Love London? Love this.
diamond geezer
Open House (3)
Yesterday's Open House tally was seven.
• The repurposed building indelibly associated with a star...
a year ago
Yesterday's Open House tally was seven.
• The repurposed building indelibly associated with a star architect where everyone had to wear a name badge in case the over-excitable staff wanted to make conversation, but there was in fact hardly anything to see and I was out of there...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Fort Myers: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures
6 months ago
Londonist
Part Of The Northern Line Is Closing From Spring 2024
Edgware to Golders Green not running on various dates.
11 months ago
Edgware to Golders Green not running on various dates.
Spoon & Tamago
Fruit, Not What it Appears to be in Artfully Arranged Compositions by Yuni Yoshida
I like to eat apples and bananas. Yuni Yoshida, the creative director known for her mind-bending...
a year ago
I like to eat apples and bananas. Yuni Yoshida, the creative director known for her mind-bending visual illusions, likes to alter them, creating visually arresting compositions that make you look, and then look again. Often incorporating food into her work, Yoshida has an ongoing...
diamond geezer
Inner monologue
Hello to all of you who, like me, live by yourself. Not for us the chance of a friendly chat over...
10 months ago
Hello to all of you who, like me, live by yourself. Not for us the chance of a friendly chat over breakfast, nor a natter in the bedroom, nor an entire evening sitting in front of the TV offering a running commentary on everything you watch. Our inner monologue stays private,...
diamond geezer
Crossing the river news
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls,...
5 months ago
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls, they're called user charges, but we all know what they are. The tolls will also apply to the Blackwall Tunnel from the day the Silvertown Tunnel opens which is expected to be...
diamond geezer
The Map House
An exhibition of tube maps, dozens and dozens of them, is pretty much nirvana for some people. If...
a month ago
An exhibition of tube maps, dozens and dozens of them, is pretty much nirvana for some people. If this is you be sure to make a pilgrimage to The Map House (nearest station Knightsbridge) before the end of the month. Look for the gold tube map in the window, just round the corner...
Spoon & Tamago
120 Koinobori Flutter in Sabagawa River
photo courtesy Sabogawa Koinobori Kawanagashi Association Around this time of year, Japan becomes...
a year ago
photo courtesy Sabogawa Koinobori Kawanagashi Association Around this time of year, Japan becomes decorated with scenes of fish fluttering in the sky. Known as koinobori, the carp streamers are an important celebration of Children’s Day, which is on May 5th, and is one of the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Alberta’s Best Nature Escapes for Adventurous Travelers
a month ago
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...
Londonist
Where To Dine And Drink In An Igloo Or Snow Globe In London This Winter
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
a year ago
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
Londonist
Time Travel Back To 17th Century London - With This Royalist Reenactment Along The Mall
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
11 months ago
Commemorating the execution of Charles I.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Hanukkah 2023 In London
Where to celebrate Chanukah this December.
a year ago
Where to celebrate Chanukah this December.
diamond geezer
Borough visitor websites
Some London boroughs like to have a web presence that draws tourists in, should anyone be...
2 months ago
Some London boroughs like to have a web presence that draws tourists in, should anyone be interested, or highlights places of interest for the benefit of local residents. These websites attempt to reinforce the idea that a borough has history, or culture, or some sort of life,...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in August 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day...
3 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day Travelcards (down 38% on 2018/19). They also sold 3,849,293 Weekly Travelcards (down 65%), 801,367 Monthly Travelcards (down 67%) and only 15,192 Annual Travelcards (down 80%).
2)...
diamond geezer
Wimbledon expands
Last week the Deputy Mayor approved the All England Club's planning application to build 39 new...
2 months ago
Last week the Deputy Mayor approved the All England Club's planning application to build 39 new tennis courts across Wimbledon Park. But was that decision right or was it wrong?
extend across the road with a new show court and dozens of practice courts, and throw in a new...
Londonist
Modern London Is Beautiful In This New Photographic Book
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
a year ago
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
diamond geezer
Extremities of extremities
For today's post I've visited the least extreme points in London's most extreme boroughs.
As...
9 months ago
For today's post I've visited the least extreme points in London's most extreme boroughs.
As posts go it's a lot of effort for scant reward.
Hillingdon East [map]
Borderline with: Ealing
Location: Yeading/Southall
Specifically: bend on Grand Union towpath
Distance from...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 6-12 November 2023
The very best chunks of Londonist from the past week.
a year ago
The very best chunks of Londonist from the past week.
Londonist
10 Under-Appreciated Buildings On London's South Bank
From Italianate hospitals to bucolic almshouses.
a year ago
From Italianate hospitals to bucolic almshouses.
Londonist
That Time Lord Onslow's Monkey Escaped Onto The Tube
Simian crisis at Barbican.
a year ago
Simian crisis at Barbican.
diamond geezer
One procession, one march
A procession, a march.
The Lord Mayor's Show
on the telly, now sandwiched inbetween Saturday...
a year ago
A procession, a march.
The Lord Mayor's Show
on the telly, now sandwiched inbetween Saturday Kitchen and Football Focus. But if you want to experience the full historic pageant in all its feathered floaty glory you need to turn up in the City and watch the multitudes go by....
Londonist
Spotted These Circular Tube Maps Doing The Rounds?
At last! The Circle line makes sense.
10 months ago
At last! The Circle line makes sense.
diamond geezer
London's biggest power stations
The square after Pall Mall on the Monopoly board is the Electric Company. It would be too...
8 months ago
The square after Pall Mall on the Monopoly board is the Electric Company. It would be too overfamiliar to visit Tate Modern and Battersea Power Station, plus neither of them still generate electricity, so I'm not going there. Instead I've identified the five largest power...
diamond geezer
Crewe
Gadabout: CREWE
Crewe is a large town in Cheshire and a key junction on the West Coast Main Line....
9 months ago
Gadabout: CREWE
Crewe is a large town in Cheshire and a key junction on the West Coast Main Line. It's only here because of the railway so has pretty much no history before that arrived, and the railway's only here because the nearby towns of Nantwich and Winsford turned the...
diamond geezer
Wildlife & Wellbeing Trail
#10001 ✅ Places
Footpath 47, the desolate estuarine footpath at Barking Riverside. In good news...
a year ago
#10001 ✅ Places
Footpath 47, the desolate estuarine footpath at Barking Riverside. In good news it's still there and ten thousand flats haven't yet encroached close enough to wreck it. But that day draws closer, and a couple of recent changes are a hint that local developers are...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Turkish Airlines Launches New Flights to Istanbul From Detroit
a year ago
Londonist
How Aldwych Tube Station Could Have Become A Heritage 'Theme Park'
A subterranean heritage railway.
9 months ago
A subterranean heritage railway.
Londonist
Tom Scott: 10 Of The Vlogger's Best London Videos
From protected sightlines to buried coins.
11 months ago
From protected sightlines to buried coins.
Londonist
Martin Luther King Gets A London Blue Plaque
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
11 months ago
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
diamond geezer
King's Cross Station
KING'S CROSS
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
KING'S CROSS STATION
Group: British...
10 months ago
KING'S CROSS
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
KING'S CROSS STATION
Group: British Railways
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £25
Annual passengers: 23 million
Borough: Camden
Postcode: N1
A (very) brief history: King's Cross station opened in 1852 to replace a temporary...
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
Best Of Londonist: 9-15 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #2
Roadworks are supposed to have started at the Bow Roundabout but they haven't yet, indeed it's...
3 months ago
Roadworks are supposed to have started at the Bow Roundabout but they haven't yet, indeed it's possible they've actually been put back by two weeks. This is somewhat peeving given substantial bus mitigation has already taken place - five routes have had their frequency...
Cheese and Biscuits
Cafe Kitty, Soho
For someone who spends an unhealthy amount of time thinking about and reading about restaurants, I...
5 months ago
For someone who spends an unhealthy amount of time thinking about and reading about restaurants, I consider it a personal failing that I didn't connect Cafe Kitty (Soho) with Kitty Fisher's (Mayfair) until it came up in conversation about halfway through dinner. In my defence,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ashley English’s Favorite Things to Do in Asheville
11 months ago
Londonist
Expect To Hear Lots More Buskers In Tube Stations Over The Next 2 Weeks
It's the X Factor of the London Underground.
9 months ago
It's the X Factor of the London Underground.
diamond geezer
Wood End
Do you ever look at the front of a bus and think "where the hell is that?"?
actual place in actual...
2 months ago
Do you ever look at the front of a bus and think "where the hell is that?"?
actual place in actual London. It even has a library, or rather it did but we'll get to that. You'll find it west of Sudbury, north of Greenford, east of Northolt and south of South Harrow, if that...
diamond geezer
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibition: The Origin of the Faeces: Poo from the...
a year ago
Unusual exhibitions in ancient buildings
Unusual exhibition: The Origin of the Faeces: Poo from the Zoo
Ancient building: the stone foundations of former Kingston Bridge (1170)
caveat: more a structure than a building, but very definitely ancient
on display for the first time...
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
a year ago
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
Londonist
Astounding Animal Statues By Gillie And Marc Near London Bridge
A Wild Life for Wildlife.
a year ago
A Wild Life for Wildlife.
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...
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....
Londonist
RAF Hornchurch: Visit The Fascinating Museum Of This East London Airfield
Zeppelins, Guinea Pigs and the Great Escape.
a year ago
Zeppelins, Guinea Pigs and the Great Escape.
The Forney Flyer
And Here We Go Trying Yet Again...
There are so many good reasons/excuses I could give you as to why I did just one blog post last...
over a year ago
There are so many good reasons/excuses I could give you as to why I did just one blog post last June, with indications that I would start consistently blogging again, and then I disappeared... again. I could tell you that life has been super crazy busy, and that by...
Spoon & Tamago
Step Into a World of Contemporary Japanese Art at New Exhibition in New York
a series of washi paper prints by artist takayuki. o “Stepping Into A World” is a the 5th in a...
10 months ago
a series of washi paper prints by artist takayuki. o “Stepping Into A World” is a the 5th in a series of juried open call exhibitions aimed at showcasing undiscovered Japanese artists and integrating them into the forefront of the global art scene. The exhibition, which includes...
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
Where To Eat And Drink In Stratford
Eats in E20.
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
‘Mirai No Table’ Brings Childcare and Dining Together As One
All images © Atelier Air Flo Nukasawa courtesy of Harema Design Office At the crossroads of...
a year ago
All images © Atelier Air Flo Nukasawa courtesy of Harema Design Office At the crossroads of childcare and dining, ‘Mirai no Table‘ (Table of the Future) is a café conceived from the dual perspectives by Harema Design Office. The café embodies the idea that our food choices shape...
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
Where's Gail's?
The bakery chain Gail's has been busy spreading its sourdough tentacles across London over recent...
4 months ago
The bakery chain Gail's has been busy spreading its sourdough tentacles across London over recent years. It had been doing this successfully and also quietly until it dared to suggest opening a branch in Walthamstow Village whose residents promptly set up a petition to campaign...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Ski, Stay, & Explore Outdoors in Alberta's Winter
a month ago
Londonist
Things To Do In London Between Christmas And New Year
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
a year ago
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
Londonist
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
Everyman Stratford International
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates...
4 days ago
Stratford has a new cinema.
Everyman and can be found in the highrise nomansland that separates Westfield from the Olympic Park, now officially known as Stratford Cross. It's housed in a brushed metal box tucked beneath 20 floors of Grade A office space. It has three screens,...
diamond geezer
National Rail interchange symbols
What does the National Rail symbol on the tube map mean?
I ask because several stations with a...
7 months ago
What does the National Rail symbol on the tube map mean?
I ask because several stations with a National Rail service don't have the symbol, for example here in the northwest corner of the map.
The two symbol-less Metropolitan line stations are Rickmansworth and Chorleywood....
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 16-22 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Ayyy! The Fonz Is Coming To London In June
Happy days.
9 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Amsterdam Plans to Ban Large Cruise Ships: What to Expect
a year ago
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 3-4 February 2024
New exhibitions, a flower show and a light festival in a church.
10 months ago
New exhibitions, a flower show and a light festival in a church.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Garden Museum Café, Lambeth
Beautiful 15th century Lambeth Palace is a strange London landmark - widely recognisable, with a...
10 months ago
Beautiful 15th century Lambeth Palace is a strange London landmark - widely recognisable, with a stately position Thames-side and passed by a number of busy bus routes, it is nevertheless very rarely visited, most of the main structures off-limits as the Archbishop of...
Londonist
13 Autumnal Day Trips From London: October 2023
Charming events within easy reach of London.
a year ago
Charming events within easy reach of London.
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
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...
11 months 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
TfL FoI requests in May 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices...
6 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices which sold the fewest tickets in 2023 were Acton Main Line (2736), Hanwell (3375) and Maryland (4037). That's about 10 tickets per day.
2) The installation of new brighter lighting...
Cheese and Biscuits
Dream Xi'an, Tower Hill
There are lots of good Chinese restaurants in the Holborn/Bloomsbury area of London. Most seem to...
8 months ago
There are lots of good Chinese restaurants in the Holborn/Bloomsbury area of London. Most seem to have popped up in the last decade or so, I assume alongside an influx of Chinese students attending the many nearby high-profile universities and colleges, because I'm fairly sure...
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.
diamond geezer
Another Islington post
Thanks for your suggestions for another Islington-based post.
Allow me to sort-of tackle what some...
a year ago
Thanks for your suggestions for another Islington-based post.
Allow me to sort-of tackle what some of you asked.
How about a walk around the gardens and squares of Islington?
Please can you explore Thornhill Square? I've walked around it a few times, and wondered what it would...
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...
diamond geezer
Weather 2023
the dg weather review of the year
used to do this with big colourful monthly tables but that's too...
11 months ago
the dg weather review of the year
used to do this with big colourful monthly tables but that's too much effort for too little reward so here's a breezier summary. All data is for Hampstead, as per usual.
temperaturerainfallsunshine
Janmild then...
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
"Displeasing And Absurd": A Hatchet Job Review Of A Christmas Carol From 1843
There's always one.
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama City
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
9 Must-Visit Religious UNESCO Sites in Germany
7 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,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The British Virgin Islands Is Your Ultimate Vacation Destination
a year ago
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.
One from Nippon
A peek into the world of Japan's electric rice cookers
It's been a while since our last post - life got in the way. A big thanks to everyone who reached...
a year ago
It's been a while since our last post - life got in the way. A big thanks to everyone who reached out!
We are now restarting our articles, though we might not always write once a week. If we don't think it's interesting, we
diamond geezer
Election triplepoint
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the...
5 months ago
The General Election has seen Labour strengthen its hold over the capital with 59 MPs, while the Liberal Democrats have doubled their total to 6 and the Conservatives slumped to just 9. The electoral map of London is thus almost all red, with a yellow bloc to the southwest and a...
Londonist
5 Amazing Places To Eat Asian Food In Central London
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
10 months ago
As chosen by chef Jeff Tan.
Londonist
These Are The London Boroughs With The Most Public CCTV Cameras
And they're not the ones you might think.
a year ago
And they're not the ones you might think.
Londonist
Bush Hall: Live Music At Historic West London Venue Under Immediate Threat
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
9 months ago
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Forest Gate: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Forest food!
a year ago
diamond geezer
Open House wrap-up
Let's finish this for another year.
Open House: The Rowe (Aldgate) The Unoccupied One
located...
a year ago
Let's finish this for another year.
Open House: The Rowe (Aldgate) The Unoccupied One
located immediately opposite the Whitechapel Gallery and is a repurposing of the former Cass School of Art and Architecture into a modern office block. The overall idea behind the rebuild was...
Spoon & Tamago
Trains Intersect with Everyday Life in Nostalgic Illustrations by Shinjiro Ogawa
Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms...
a year ago
Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms of daily life. And while their existence can be taken for granted, their many forms and colors add to the uniqueness of each neighborhood they traverse. Capturing the scenery of...
Spoon & Tamago
Tamiya’s New Plamodel Factory in Tokyo is a Model Maker’s Paradise
Photos by Daici Ano and Tomoyuki Kusunose, courtesy Torafu Architects Tamiya, perhaps the most...
5 months ago
Photos by Daici Ano and Tomoyuki Kusunose, courtesy Torafu Architects Tamiya, perhaps the most recognized brand name in the modeling industry, recently opened a new flagship facility in the Shimbashi Toranomon area of Tokyo. Dubbed the Tamiya Plamodel Factory, the shiny new...
diamond geezer
Random borough 2
Twenty years ago today I brought you my very first Random Borough report from the London borough of...
9 months ago
Twenty years ago today I brought you my very first Random Borough report from the London borough of Merton. But it was fairly brief - most of my posts were back then - so two decades on I'm having another go to do Merton justice. Yesterday somewhere sporty and somewhere pretty,...
Londonist
Things To Do In London On Boxing Day 2023
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
a year ago
There's more to Twixtmas than Monopoly and mulled wine.
diamond geezer
First steps
As the phoney war before the next election escalates, I'd like to express my disappointment that the...
7 months ago
As the phoney war before the next election escalates, I'd like to express my disappointment that the next government won't be as left wing as it should have been.
These are Comrade Starmer's so-called first steps, a limp selection of depressingly weak promises which reads...
Londonist
The Crazy-Reasonably Priced Cafe Hidden In A Waterloo Bus Garage
Next stop: a hearty lunch for as little at £4!
11 months ago
Next stop: a hearty lunch for as little at £4!
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.
diamond geezer
Carpenders Park
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
a month ago
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Carpenders Park, one stop beyond Hatch End on what will next week be the Lioness line. For positioning purposes...
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.
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
Battersea Power Station And Nine Elms Tube Stations Just Got Mark Wallinger Labyrinths
Great news for Labyrinth hunters!
a year ago
Great news for Labyrinth hunters!
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.
diamond geezer
2024 fares
TfL's annual fare rise was announced last yesterday. And it's no fare rise at all.
"The Mayor of...
11 months ago
TfL's annual fare rise was announced last yesterday. And it's no fare rise at all.
"The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced bold action to freeze TfL fares this year, to support Londoners struggling with the cost of living and London’s recovery from the pandemic....
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Local Noto Businesses that You Can Support
Roughly 6000 people remain in temporary evacuation shelters ever since the Noto Earthquake on...
11 months ago
Roughly 6000 people remain in temporary evacuation shelters ever since the Noto Earthquake on January 1st upended life for so many. And while the recovery is long and arduous, many are doing what they can to return to normal and that includes the many local businesses in the Noto...
Londonist
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
East London Could Be Getting This Flashy New Lido
What a beaut.
a year ago
diamond geezer
25 years of hurt
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a...
4 months ago
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a century ago?
small part of the UK mainland in south Devon and Cornwall, arriving over Land's End at 11:10am and departing near Salcombe five minutes later. All you had to do to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Amazing Things to Do in Puerto Rico, According to Locals
a year ago
diamond geezer
Historic Hounslow High Street
Historic Hounslow High Street
Past
bypassed in 1925 reducing the flow of traffic and boosting...
11 months ago
Historic Hounslow High Street
Past
bypassed in 1925 reducing the flow of traffic and boosting the High Street's importance as a shopping centre for the growing suburb. Then in the late 1960s it was part-pedestrianised in readiness for nearby redevelopment (as you can see...
Londonist
Part Of The Piccadilly Line Is Closing For 5 Days This Month
Heathrow will be off the cards.
10 months ago
Heathrow will be off the cards.
Spoon & Tamago
Noma’s New Pop Up by OEO Studio in Kyoto
All images ©Kotaro Tanaka courtesy OEO Studio OEO Studio, a Copenhagen-based design firm, has...
a year ago
All images ©Kotaro Tanaka courtesy OEO Studio OEO Studio, a Copenhagen-based design firm, has recently completed the interiors of Noma Kyoto, a pop-up dining in Japan in collaboration with Ace Hotel. The 250 sqm existing dining space has been transformed under the guidance of...
One from Nippon
$450 for a School Bag?!
Every year, around March, a curious social custom occurs in Japanese families.
Parents of kids...
11 months ago
Every year, around March, a curious social custom occurs in Japanese families.
Parents of kids entering elementary school visit the grandparents and gingerly tread the topic of buying the kids a very expensive item: a randoseru.
And gingerly they must tread. The randoseru, a...
Spoon & Tamago
Elongated Engawa Defines this Community Welfare Center in Chiba
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the...
a year ago
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the elderly becomes an increasingly important issue. And while elderly populations are typically seen as a burden, there are places around rural Japan that offer glimpses of a more...
diamond geezer
Majority Sweepstake
On polling day, let's have a sweepstake on the size of the Labour majority.
comments...
5 months ago
On polling day, let's have a sweepstake on the size of the Labour majority.
comments if(postComments['51253209151424'] != null){document.write(' (' + postComments['51253209151424'] + ')')}else{document.write(' (0)')};
n.b. If you don't think Labour are going to get a majority, go...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 14-20 August 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week
Often around this time of year I go totally tubular with a week devoted to the London Underground -...
a year ago
Often around this time of year I go totally tubular with a week devoted to the London Underground - five days of quizzes, quirks, commentary and obscure statistics. Well not this year.
I should warn you that I haven't actually ridden the cablecar while researching these fifteen...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Here's Your 7-Day Escape to the British Virgin Islands
a year ago
diamond geezer
Going unitary
Local government organisation in England is complicated, always has been, which is why the...
5 days ago
Local government organisation in England is complicated, always has been, which is why the government are keen to reorganise it.
There are 317 councils in England:
(upper-tier)
(lower-tier)
(unitary)
(unitary)
(unitary)
(unitary)
Logically it makes no sense that some shire...
diamond geezer
Words on shops
Today's post is about the words you see on small convenience stores and how they've...
11 months ago
Today's post is about the words you see on small convenience stores and how they've changed.
Newsagents • Cigarettes • Ice Cream
Newspapers aren't the daily draw they used to be, Cigarettes have been leapfrogged by a selection of fragrant vapes and Ice Cream is no longer an...
Londonist
Dazzling Light Festivals To See In London: Winter 2023
Light tunnels, fire gardens and lasers.
a year ago
Light tunnels, fire gardens and lasers.
AFAR Media - Travel...
New Luxury Cruises in the Adriatic and Baltic Seas
3 months ago
diamond geezer
The December 2024 tube map
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
It's...
a week ago
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
It's unfortunate because the last tube map was only released three weeks ago. Alas it included a typo so the decision was taken to withdraw the entire batch pending a reprint, and here...
Londonist
Things To Do In London Over Easter Weekend 2024
Eggs, bunnies and the Passion of Jesus.
9 months ago
Eggs, bunnies and the Passion of Jesus.
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.
diamond geezer
Cromwell Road Bus Station
Cromwell Road bus station in Kingston has reopened.
There are eight versions of today's post,...
a month ago
Cromwell Road bus station in Kingston has reopened.
There are eight versions of today's post, according to your level of interest.
(click to jump to the right one)
1) I just need the basics
2) I never intend to visit but tell me more
3) I sometimes use this bus station
4) I...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 25 September-1 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
On multiple OS maps
This is the town of Purley.
three OS Landranger maps.
Landranger maps, each drawn to a scale of...
4 months ago
This is the town of Purley.
three OS Landranger maps.
Landranger maps, each drawn to a scale of 1:50000, and between them they cover the whole of Great Britain and its islands.
maps tend to align precisely with their neighbours so places appear on one or the other. But...
Londonist
When You Start Seeing Roundels Everywhere
One you spot, you just can't stop...
a year ago
One you spot, you just can't stop...
diamond geezer
London's highest High Street
London's highest High Street
High Street (Downe) [155m]
High Street should be in Downe.
Downe is...
6 months ago
London's highest High Street
High Street (Downe) [155m]
High Street should be in Downe.
Downe is a proper village surrounded by fields, not far from Biggin Hill airport. It used to be in Kent but is now in the outer orbit of the London borough of Bromley. It has two village...
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