diamond geezer
LNER 70min Flex Tickets
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these...
11 months ago
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these issues.
LNER's innovation is 70min Flex, a flexible ticket which allows you to travel within a specific window either side of your booked train. Up to 70 minutes before, up to 70...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The FAA Bill Could Greatly Improve Air Travel—Here's How
a year ago
Cheese and Biscuits
The London Shell Co., Highgate
The first time I went to the London Shell Co., I hated it. This was nothing to do with the food, and...
a year ago
The first time I went to the London Shell Co., I hated it. This was nothing to do with the food, and everything to do with my aversion to anything boaty, and being trapped on one for the best part of 2 1/2 hours as it punted around the dark, damp Regent's canal in the middle of...
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Breeze Bird Cafe & Bakery in Kamakura is Situated Along the Enoden Train Line
photos by Katsuhiro Aoki courtesy Same Picture Company For all that’s written and said about the...
a year ago
photos by Katsuhiro Aoki courtesy Same Picture Company For all that’s written and said about the difficulty of starting a business in Japan, there is one exception. The country’s lax zoning laws make it particularly easy to convert a section of your home into a cafe or eatery....
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
London's cheapest visitor attraction
Visiting attractions in Greenwich keeps getting inexorably more expensive. And not just because...
8 months ago
Visiting attractions in Greenwich keeps getting inexorably more expensive. And not just because admission prices have increased but because buildings that used to be free to enter started charging money.
Royal Greenwich Observatory had free admission between 2001 and 2011, then...
diamond geezer
Random borough 3
Twenty years ago, on my first Random Borough trip, my jamjar took me to Merton and I only gave it a...
9 months ago
Twenty years ago, on my first Random Borough trip, my jamjar took me to Merton and I only gave it a one-day write-up. Two decades later I'm doing Merton justice by giving it three days, of which this is the last, so buckle down to learn about fertiliser, philanthropy and phone...
Londonist
On 29 February Do One Of These Things A Londoner Would Never Do
From rickshaws to Angus Steakhouses.
10 months ago
From rickshaws to Angus Steakhouses.
Cheese and Biscuits
Baudry Greene, Covent Garden
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to...
7 months ago
There are few things more important in the success of a restaurant than pedigree. If you are able to launch one good restaurant, you're more than likely to be able to make a good go of a second. And then a third, and so on. Well, up to a point. You don't want to spread yourself...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Explore Maine’s Outdoors and Dining—a Local's Guide
4 months ago
Londonist
The Unique London Spot Where A Railway, A Road And A Canal All Cross Each Other
But which came first?
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Hyatt's Zilara Riviera Maya Resort Is The Best Vacation Destination
a year ago
Londonist
West End Tickets From £15 - London Theatre Week Has Launched
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
10 months ago
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
Londonist
Pedlar's Acre: The Mysterious Bit Of South Bank Where The London Eye Now Stands
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
9 months ago
Who was the Pedlar of Lambeth?
AFAR Media - Travel...
American Airlines’ Top Credit Card Offers 100K Mile Bonus
a year ago
diamond geezer
Poor predictions
Two years ago today Liz Truss became Prime Minister. That went well.
I took the opportunity to ask...
3 months ago
Two years ago today Liz Truss became Prime Minister. That went well.
I took the opportunity to ask who you thought would win the next General Election. I offered four options and asked you to "pick the outcome you expect, not the outcome you want". 83 of you had a...
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.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 7-8 October 2023
Oktoberfest parties, rugby screenings, and an open day at a rather niche museum.
a year ago
Oktoberfest parties, rugby screenings, and an open day at a rather niche museum.
Londonist
Rude Tube: 160 Years Since First Naughty Graffiti On The Underground
What *did* he write?
9 months ago
The Forney Flyer
Recent Stuff
A few weeks ago we (fellow MAF pilot Andrew and I) landed at Amudat airstrip for the first time in a...
over a year ago
A few weeks ago we (fellow MAF pilot Andrew and I) landed at Amudat airstrip for the first time in a very long time (below).
Over the past year and a half quite a few of the upcountry airstrips in Uganda (especially in Karamoja) deteriorated so badly that we had to stop using...
Londonist
Londonist: Time Machine Opens Its Archive For Easter
"It's so damned good!"
9 months ago
Londonist
Where On The Tube Can You See A WWII Gun Emplacement?
A defensive relic on the District line.
a year ago
A defensive relic on the District line.
diamond geezer
QEOP 10
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is 10 years old this weekend. A chunk of the North Park opened more...
8 months ago
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is 10 years old this weekend. A chunk of the North Park opened more quickly in the summer after the Games but the rest was only fully revealed on 5th April 2014, including all the good stuff round the Stadium. This was the moment that created a...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Relax and Eat Seafood in Corpus Christi, TX
5 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
150-Year Old Florist in Yanaka Blossoms with a New Cafe
all photos by Takuya Seki courtesy Maru Architects Founded in 1870, Hanaju is a florist that has...
3 months ago
all photos by Takuya Seki courtesy Maru Architects Founded in 1870, Hanaju is a florist that has served Tokyo’s Yanaka neighborhood for over 150 years. The flower shop is located near the entrance of Yanaka Cemetery and is surrounded by traditional homes and businesses, including...
diamond geezer
Unblogged 1984
30 unblogged things I did in September 1984
They didn't have blogs or the internet forty years ago,...
2 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in September 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 end...
Herbert Lui
Disorientation
When you first land in a new place, where you don’t speak the language, you’re probably going to...
2 weeks ago
When you first land in a new place, where you don’t speak the language, you’re probably going to make some mistakes. You’ll get in the wrong line at the airport. Queue on the wrong side of the escalator. Realize you’ve unintentionally broken etiquette or convention of some sort....
diamond geezer
Route 455
London's next dead bus
455: Wallington to Purley, Old Lodge Lane
Location: outer London,...
10 months ago
London's next dead bus
455: Wallington to Purley, Old Lodge Lane
Location: outer London, south
Length of journey: 13 miles, 85 minutes
The 455, which dies soon, weaves a ridiculously contorted route around the broader outskirts of Croydon. It's particularly wiggly at the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Exclusive Beach Club Experiences: Mexico's Riviera Maya & Beyond
a year ago
Londonist
Dickens Tourism In London Has Been A Thing Since Victorian Times
And you won't believe who started it, either...
a year ago
And you won't believe who started it, either...
diamond geezer
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
JetBlue to End American Pact—What This Means for Travelers
a year ago
diamond geezer
18U 55V 51W
On Saturday I proposed that 18U Brondesbury Park NW6 7BT is London's highest lettered house....
a year ago
On Saturday I proposed that 18U Brondesbury Park NW6 7BT is London's highest lettered house. Nothing's going to beat a run of houses that goes 18J, 18K, 18L, 18M, 18N, 18P, 18Q, 18R, 18S, 18T, 18U, I thought.
Not so. There are in fact over 50 properties in the capital that can...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in September 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in September 2024
1) The average e-scooter hire trip...
2 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in September 2024
1) The average e-scooter hire trip lasts 16 minutes, is 1½ miles long and is undertaken at 6½ mph.
2) TfL plan to replace the Lodge Avenue flyover on the A13 with a like-for-like replacement, with construction starting...
Londonist
19 Images That Tell The Vivid History Of The South Bank
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
a year ago
From Roman temples to futuristic domes.
Londonist
19 Facts About London That Sound Made-Up But Are True
A drunken Karl Marx and a tube line to the coast.
a year ago
A drunken Karl Marx and a tube line to the coast.
diamond geezer
Carpenters Road
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive...
6 months ago
Carpenters Road has reopened again. It has a habit of doing this.
2007 so its rundown automotive industries could be snuffed out in readiness for the Olympics. It took until 2014 to reopen, freshly sanitised, as a link road round the back of the Olympic Park. It then closed...
Londonist
Secretive Central London Cold War Tunnels Could Open As Visitor Attraction
Kingsway Telephone Exchange is said to have inspired Q Branch.
a year ago
Kingsway Telephone Exchange is said to have inspired Q Branch.
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
U.S. Launches Passport Fairs to Help Speed Up Applications
a year ago
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...
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Lima, Shoreditch
I don't usually like to do invited reviews back-to-back, so this was supposed to be a post about a...
a month ago
I don't usually like to do invited reviews back-to-back, so this was supposed to be a post about a lovely Catalonian restaurant called El Molí de L'Escala. El Molí serve a daily-changing menu of exciting and unusual local seafood (they had sea cucumber on the menu last week, and...
diamond geezer
Banksy's zoo
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at...
4 months ago
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at various locations across London. As publicity goes it's been a summer season masterstroke.
Some have since been removed, some have been screened off, some have been further...
diamond geezer
Washside postcards
Washside postcards: Hunstanton → King's Lynn
✉ Head south from Hunstanton and the first village you...
5 months ago
Washside postcards: Hunstanton → King's Lynn
✉ Head south from Hunstanton and the first village you graze is Heacham, home of Norfolk Lavender. It describes itself as "England's premier lavender farm (est. 1932) with nearly 100 acres of lavender" so we had high hopes, but it was...
Londonist
Plunge Into An Icy Brockwell Lido For Charity This Christmas
The Icebreaker challenge is back.
a year ago
The Icebreaker challenge is back.
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....
Spoon & Tamago
Intricate and Organic Sculptures by Ceramicist Eriko Inazaki
These white and intricate forms appear to be the work of mother nature, sculpted over hundreds and...
a year ago
These white and intricate forms appear to be the work of mother nature, sculpted over hundreds and thousands of years. Instead, they’re the work of Japanese ceramicist Eriko Inazaki, who painstakingly shapes and assembles each prick and piece by hand. And in doing so, she’s...
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.
Cheese and Biscuits
Pied à Terre, Fitzrovia
Since the closure of Le Gavroche, Pied à Terre is now the London restaurant which has held at least...
6 months ago
Since the closure of Le Gavroche, Pied à Terre is now the London restaurant which has held at least one Michelin star for the longest time. It first won the accolade shortly after it opened back in 1991, a time when fine dining meant French dining, and the term "gastropub" was...
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
London's Best Private Party Venues For Smaller Groups
'Tis almost the season.
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.
diamond geezer
Brent Cross West station
For decades the two mile gap between Hendon and Cricklewood stations didn't need a station. The...
a year ago
For decades the two mile gap between Hendon and Cricklewood stations didn't need a station. The surrounding area was mostly retail parks and rundown industrial estates, and the site itself was occupied by Cricklewood traction maintenance depot. But 'rundown industrial estate' is...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Away Just Updated its Classic Suitcases With a New Design
a year ago
diamond geezer
Slowing the Bow Roundabout
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276,...
3 months ago
(this is the last post written on my old laptop)
temporary timetables on bus routes 25, 205, 276, 277 and 425 "to help with reliability during roadworks at the Bow Roundabout and displacement of traffic onto local roads". For example buses on route 25 usually run every 7-8...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Highlights of New York Winter Jazzfest, January, 2025
a week ago
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
London's shortest
On the shortest day of the year, a shortlist of London's shortests
• London's shortest suburbs are...
yesterday
On the shortest day of the year, a shortlist of London's shortests
• London's shortest suburbs are Bow, Ham, Kew and Lee.
(118m)
823m long at Kenley Airfield.
1508m long at City Airport.
• London's shortest canal tunnel is Eyre's Tunnel which bores 48m under Lisson...
diamond geezer
Anorak Corner - bus edition
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual...
a year ago
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual spreadsheet listing the number of passengers using every London bus route and how many kilometres those buses travelled. Data is for April 2022 - March 2023. Comparisons are with the...
diamond geezer
2023 index
dg 2023 index
Beyond London
Nottingham: Not just Robin Hood and cricket, but also caves, Boots and a...
11 months ago
dg 2023 index
Beyond London
Nottingham: Not just Robin Hood and cricket, but also caves, Boots and a complete traverse of the tram network [photos]
West Midlands Metro: A day of faffing about on the trams, especially the latest extensions
Cheltenham and Gloucester: Spas, racing...
Londonist
A Free Exhibition Featuring Virtual Rainforests Is Coming To Oxo Tower Wharf
Shrug off the city and immerse yourself in a forest.
a year ago
Shrug off the city and immerse yourself in a forest.
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,...
Londonist
London's Going Snowdrop Crazy This Month - Here's Where To See Them
The flower that's about to take over your Instagram feed.
11 months ago
The flower that's about to take over your Instagram feed.
Londonist
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.
diamond geezer
Unblogged August
31 unblogged things I did in August
Thu 1: A new coffee shop has opened just inside the gateline at...
3 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in August
Thu 1: A new coffee shop has opened just inside the gateline at Whitechapel station (or at least I assumed it was new because it didn't have a name displayed anywhere, whereas apparently it opened in June). It turns out they're called Yellow...
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...
Londonist
Explore Holborn's Two 'Secret' Platforms On This New Hidden London Tour
Torches at the ready.
10 months ago
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Metropolitan Line
The world's first underground railway.
a year ago
The world's first underground railway.
Londonist
TfL Raises Penalty Fare To £100
£130m-£150m lost a year thanks to fare dodgers.
9 months ago
£130m-£150m lost a year thanks to fare dodgers.
Londonist
The Crazy Clown Church Service That Happens In Hackney Every February
Send in the clowns!
10 months ago
Londonist
Trivia About Other Places Called London Around The World
Including one which is FREAKISHLY similar to our own London.
a year ago
Including one which is FREAKISHLY similar to our own London.
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...
diamond geezer
Route 168
London's next dead bus
168: Old Kent Road Tesco to Hampstead Heath
Location: inner London
Length of...
a year ago
London's next dead bus
168: Old Kent Road Tesco to Hampstead Heath
Location: inner London
Length of journey: 7 miles, 65 minutes
The 168 has been chugging up to Hampstead Heath since 1986, initially from Waterloo, then from Elephant & Castle and most recently from the Old Kent...
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
diamond geezer
The Star Beast
#10005 ✅ Observations
The Star Beast, the return of David Tennant as Doctor Who in the 60th...
a year ago
#10005 ✅ Observations
The Star Beast, the return of David Tennant as Doctor Who in the 60th anniversary special. It did the traditional thing and plonked an alien spaceship in the middle of London, and it also did all sorts of untraditional things because the series always has,...
diamond geezer
Oxford Street
OXFORD
STREET
£300
London's Monopoly Streets
OXFORD STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price:...
a month ago
OXFORD
STREET
£300
London's Monopoly Streets
OXFORD STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price: £300
Rent: £26
Length: 2km
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
Oxford Street is one of the Roman Empire's most successful roads, at least in terms of retail income. It started out as...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 12-18 February 2024
Copycat tube stations, odd benches and SIX new lines on the tube map.
10 months ago
Copycat tube stations, odd benches and SIX new lines on the tube map.
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
Hampton Water Works
The square after Coventry Street on the Monopoly board is the Water Works. London has all kinds of...
2 months ago
The square after Coventry Street on the Monopoly board is the Water Works. London has all kinds of water infrastructure, from sewage treatment works to reservoirs and ring mains, not to mention sewers, pumping stations and the Tideway Tunnel. But I thought I'd visit the largest...
diamond geezer
Old Kent Road
OLD KENT
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
OLD KENT ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase price:...
11 months ago
OLD KENT
ROAD
£60
London's Monopoly Streets
OLD KENT ROAD
Colour group: brown
Purchase price: £60
Rent: £2
Length: 1¾ miles
Boroughs: Southwark and Lewisham
Postcodes: SE1, SE15
Old Kent Road, which is also the only location south of the river. Originally this was Watling...
Londonist
Epping Ongar Lights Express - The Fairy Light-Covered Christmas Steam Train Ride Is Back!
Most festive train EVER.
a year ago
Londonist
Exciting News For London Art Lovers!
A special offer just in time for the Easter holidays
9 months ago
A special offer just in time for the Easter holidays
Londonist
Tower Bridge Will Be Stuck In The Raised Position, As It Closes Over Bank Holiday
It's supposed to be like that.
a year ago
It's supposed to be like that.
Londonist
57 Magnificent Things To Do In London This Month: March 2024
Art fairs, Comic Con, the Boat Races, and other March events.
9 months ago
Art fairs, Comic Con, the Boat Races, and other March events.
Spoon & Tamago
Past, Present and Future of Tokyo on Full Display in World’s Largest Architectural...
From the deep forests of Okutama and the vibrant coral reefs of Ogasawara, to the sleepless neon...
9 months ago
From the deep forests of Okutama and the vibrant coral reefs of Ogasawara, to the sleepless neon lights of Shinjuku, Tokyo truly is one of the most diverse cities. And while one could argue that it has enough night lights, a new nightly projection mapping display will light up...
Londonist
BBC's Desert Island Discs Announces Live Palladium Shows
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
11 months ago
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
diamond geezer
It's all downhill from here
It's all downhill from here.
This set of freak circumstances is never going to happen again. A...
5 months ago
It's all downhill from here.
This set of freak circumstances is never going to happen again. A Conservative party proven long-term incompetent by a sequence of abysmal Prime Ministers, a last minute intervention by Nigel Farage draining support away from the right, the Lib Dems...
diamond geezer
Preparing rail fares for contactless
The cost of travelling by train between London and Southend is changing.
In today's post I'm going...
a year ago
The cost of travelling by train between London and Southend is changing.
In today's post I'm going to focus on fares between Southend Central and Fenchurch Street to keep things simple but similar changes apply to other journeys. Also this kind of model is rolling out on other...
Londonist
A Christmas Carol - London Locations Mapped
Book and film locations - and plenty more!
a year ago
Book and film locations - and plenty more!
AFAR Media - Travel...
Shop the Best Artisan Goods in China, Colombia, and Spain
2 months ago
Londonist
Smithfield Market Christmas Meat Auction 2023: A Guide
Get your Xmas turkey on the cheap!
a year ago
Get your Xmas turkey on the cheap!
diamond geezer
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...
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,...
diamond geezer
London's highest lettered house
What's London's highest lettered house?
Sorry, that's a bad question. I don't mean the highest...
a year ago
What's London's highest lettered house?
Sorry, that's a bad question. I don't mean the highest above sea level, not like the highest station I blogged about on Thursday. And letters aren't generally higher than other letters, F isn't higher than E, it's more an alphabetical...
diamond geezer
Bond Street
BOND
STREET
£320
London's Monopoly Streets
BOND STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price:...
a month ago
BOND
STREET
£320
London's Monopoly Streets
BOND STREET
Colour group: green
Purchase price: £320
Rent: £28
Length: 800m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
penultimate street on the Monopoly board famously doesn't exist, even though it has a station named after it. It's also...
Londonist
Support Great Ormond Street Hospital - By Climbing The Walkie Talkie!
Up for a challenge?
11 months ago
Londonist
Giant Gorilla In Paternoster Square... And You Can Climb On It
New Gillie and Marc sculptures show endangered wildlife.
11 months ago
New Gillie and Marc sculptures show endangered wildlife.
Londonist
50+ Fantastic Things To Do In London This Month: February 2024
New exhibitions, a flower festival, and a chance to clown around in church.
11 months ago
New exhibitions, a flower festival, and a chance to clown around in church.
diamond geezer
Open House (1)
It's that time of year again when hundreds of London properties open their doors to the public if...
3 months ago
It's that time of year again when hundreds of London properties open their doors to the public if you know where to look. It's also the time of year that I visit lots of places and write about them, so steel yourself. That said I only visited two yesterday, way out in far-flung...
diamond geezer
Thames flooding
Several times a year, aligned to the full moon, the Thames sees some particularly high tides....
a year ago
Several times a year, aligned to the full moon, the Thames sees some particularly high tides. Sometimes, after particularly heavy spells of rain, much more water comes down the Thames than usual. And when these two events coincide various paths, piers and embankments that don't...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Architectural Wonders: 5 Cities You Must See
6 months ago
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 16-22 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
The Iconic Harry Beck Map But Make It Aeroplanes
But is everything as it seems?
a year ago
But is everything as it seems?
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Croydon
Chew your way through CR0.
a year ago
Chew your way through CR0.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #9
The roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, and have a lot more continuing to go.
Bow side of...
a month ago
The roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, and have a lot more continuing to go.
Bow side of the flyover, although new kerbstones are now lined up along the new slightly-wider edge of the roundabout.
major roadworks.
For the last month one of these two lanes has been...
Spoon & Tamago
The New Simose Art Garden Villa: Where Art & Hospitality Meet at the Sea
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the...
a year ago
All images © Simose Art Museum Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima is the Simose Art Garden Villa. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban (previously), the newly opened destination comprises ten villas, a...
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Are the Most Endangered Historic Sites in America
a year ago
diamond geezer
An A-Z of London post offices
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post...
a year ago
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post offices, which is awkward because the Post Office's branch finder doesn't do lists, only "closest to"s. Thankfully this is a problem other people also have, and volunteers at...
Londonist
David Attenborough Waxwork Comes To Madame Tussauds
It's the second time he's been honoured here.
a year ago
It's the second time he's been honoured here.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Lufthansa Strives to for More Eco-Friendly Air Travel
2 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Articles on Adventure and Wellness in the Nordic Countries
4 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of the Inn at Mattei's Tavern in Los Olivos, California
a year ago
Herbert Lui
Serious writing
In Impro, Keith Johnstone describes how his teachers taught him to write, “They wanted me to reject...
2 weeks ago
In Impro, Keith Johnstone describes how his teachers taught him to write, “They wanted me to reject and discriminate, believing that the best artist was the one who made the most elegant choices. They analysed poems to show how difficult ‘real’ writing was, and they taught that I...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 27 November-3 December 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan’s Hot Springs (Part 2)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part post. Part 1 can be found here.
The Hot Spring...
a year ago
Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part post. Part 1 can be found here.
The Hot Spring Act of 1948
Lest you think any old well could be an onsen, the Japanese government has very clear rules on what can be called an onsen.
These are
AFAR Media - Travel...
Driving Across Norway, the Most Electric Car-Friendly Country in the World
a year ago
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan's Convenience Stores (Part 2)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part article. It will mostly make sense even without...
a year ago
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part article. It will mostly make sense even without reading Part 1, but you would be missing out on a lot of context!
Before we start, let's take a quick detour to talk about that word in the
AFAR Media - Travel...
Places to Visit in Asheville that Cater to Dogs
11 months ago
Londonist
16 Spring Day Trips From London: April 2024
Steam trains, flower festivals and a mysterious grotto.
9 months ago
Steam trains, flower festivals and a mysterious grotto.
Londonist
It's Car-Free Day This Weekend - And 100 London Roads Are Closing To Vehicles
To the space hoppers!
a year ago
Londonist
The World's Rarest Stamp Is On Display In London This September
It's also the most expensive.
a year ago
It's also the most expensive.
Londonist
The Best Music Festivals In London 2024
Party in a field without leaving the capital.
10 months ago
Party in a field without leaving the capital.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 20-26 November 2023
All our best articles from the past week.
a year ago
All our best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
Splitting lines
Now that the Overground lines are being separately named, some people are asking whether other TfL...
10 months ago
Now that the Overground lines are being separately named, some people are asking whether other TfL services should follow suit.
n.b. The answer to this question is 'No', but stay with me as we go through the motions.
n.b. These days the Circle line shadows the Hammersmith &...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 4-10 March 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
9 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
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.
The Forney Flyer
Life Under Lockdown in Uganda
Hey folks. Several of you have been asking how things are going for us over here in Uganda,...
over a year ago
Hey folks. Several of you have been asking how things are going for us over here in Uganda, considering how disruptive the Covid-19 stuff has been worldwide. Well, since my previous blog post (on March 24th) Uganda has basically gone under a virtual lockdown. I took these two...
Londonist
Bush Hall: Live Music At Historic West London Venue Under Immediate Threat
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
9 months ago
Four months to save the Shepherd's Bush icon.
diamond geezer
The Overground renaming story
The Overground renaming story
Sep 2006: The Mayor announced yesterday that he's found a cunning way...
3 weeks ago
The Overground renaming story
Sep 2006: The Mayor announced yesterday that he's found a cunning way of extending the tube network without forking out billions on new tunnels. He's taking a couple of existing rail services - namely Silverlink's North London line and TfL's East...
Londonist
The Best Places For Free Hot Desking In Central London
All free. No membership required.
11 months ago
All free. No membership required.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Penny Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York
a year ago
Londonist
Those Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides Through London Parks Are Back For Winter
The mane event.
a year ago
Londonist
HMV Is Reopening Its Iconic Oxford Street Store... Again
Music store returns for Christmas.
a year ago
Music store returns for Christmas.
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Victoria Line
A short chronology of the light-blue line.
a year ago
A short chronology of the light-blue line.
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
Where To Watch Fireworks On Bonfire Night In London 2023
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
a year ago
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
Spoon & Tamago
Pioneering Japan’s Zero-Energy Hospitality, ‘ITOMACHI HOTEL 0’
Ito-Machi, launched in 2020, is an urban development in Saijo, featuring a master plan by the...
10 months ago
Ito-Machi, launched in 2020, is an urban development in Saijo, featuring a master plan by the esteemed Kengo Kuma Laboratory at the University of Tokyo.
Related posts:
Stay in Artist Designed Hotel Rooms at the Park Hotel Tokyo
Hotel NUTS by Upsetters Architects
Kamikatsu in...
diamond geezer
Unblogged May
31 unblogged things I did in May
Wed 1: The latest exhibition at The Curve gallery at the Barbican...
6 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in May
Wed 1: The latest exhibition at The Curve gallery at the Barbican is dark and almost empty apart from 20 scant full-frontal paintings. I completely missed the subtext ("The exhibition highlights how The Curve’s shape reflects the Arabic letter...
Londonist
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.
diamond geezer
St Patrick's Day quizzes
Today I hope to bring you five St Patrick's Day quizzes.
Just one guess in each quiz please.
(but...
9 months ago
Today I hope to bring you five St Patrick's Day quizzes.
Just one guess in each quiz please.
(but that's five guesses over the course of the day)
5) St Patrick quiz
ST PATRICK.
1) bigot
2) channel
3) characteristics
4) coupé
5) deceives
6) designer
7) flatbreads
8)...
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...
Londonist
Free Things To Do In London At Christmas
Budget-friendly Christmas events in the capital.
a year ago
Budget-friendly Christmas events in the capital.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Square Peg, Tunbridge Wells
There was an opinion that did the rounds a few years ago, that any restaurant critic needs to have...
a year ago
There was an opinion that did the rounds a few years ago, that any restaurant critic needs to have spent at least some time in a professional kitchen or front of house to be able to pass judgement on anywhere charging the public for dinner. Personally, I think that's rubbish, but...
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
Explore Notre-Dame Cathedral... From Westminster Abbey
Hit augmented reality experience comes to London.
11 months ago
Hit augmented reality experience comes to London.
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
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
Five years of new stations
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half...
a year ago
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half years to run the first train. People in high places must have been lying their socks off.
• Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms and the Northern line extension
Brent Cross...
Spoon & Tamago
Gaku Yamazaki has Documented Thousands of Unusual Road Signs Across Japan
all images courtesy Gaku Yamazaki Gaku Yamazaki, a 21-year old college senior, spends his spare time...
a year ago
all images courtesy Gaku Yamazaki Gaku Yamazaki, a 21-year old college senior, spends his spare time traversing Japan in search of what he has dubbed ikei-yajirushi, or ‘unusual arrows.’ There are thousands of these abnormal road signs dotted across Japan and while drivers might...
diamond geezer
Replacing Overground signage
The renaming of the Overground lines draws closer, indeed should be taking place next month. The...
3 months ago
The renaming of the Overground lines draws closer, indeed should be taking place next month. The original intention was for the changeover to be in August in conjunction with a new tube map, but that's not happened so technically it's late. That said, an awful lot of signage on...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 4-10 September 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
Herbert Lui
Worth the wait
Late is better than never, and it’s never too late. Even if the line is long, and you missed a...
a week ago
Late is better than never, and it’s never too late. Even if the line is long, and you missed a chance to join earlier. If the best time to start was yesterday, the second best time is today. Being patient is much easier than it looks. Some lines don’t need you to be present, so...
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London In November 2023
David Hockney, Antony Gormley and some strange creatures.
a year ago
David Hockney, Antony Gormley and some strange creatures.
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
Tram Strikes And Engineering Works Will Affect Network Heavily In March and April 2024
Disruption double whammy.
9 months ago
Disruption double whammy.
diamond geezer
Consecutive postcode districts
It's a lovely day in the capital so I hope you're out enjoying the unseasonable warmth rather than...
8 months ago
It's a lovely day in the capital so I hope you're out enjoying the unseasonable warmth rather than wasting your time reading today's post. That's because it's about journeys through consecutively numbered postcode districts, an issue of no practical use whatsoever.
postcode...
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.
Cheese and Biscuits
Crocadon, Cornwall
Great restaurants often involve a great journey, and the journey to Crocadon, for everyone involved,...
a year ago
Great restaurants often involve a great journey, and the journey to Crocadon, for everyone involved, staff and guests, is greater than most. Dan Cox was head chef at Fera at Claridges when I last sampled his cooking, and although the restaurant eventually turned out to be a bit...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2023: Best Deals for Travelers
a year ago
diamond geezer
Canary Wharf 25
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail...
3 months ago
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail station (that's 2) but the Jubilee line station which opened mid-afternoon on Friday 17th September 1999.
The relentless commercialisation of Canary Wharf station
"Twenty banks of...
Londonist
Earth Hour 2024: London To Be Plunged Into Darkness Again
Switch the lights off for an hour, for the good of the planet.
9 months ago
Switch the lights off for an hour, for the good of the planet.
diamond geezer
dg's TikTok tips
dg's TikTok tips: the iconic phonebox shot
only one has the pixiedust to glam up your socials big...
a week ago
dg's TikTok tips: the iconic phonebox shot
only one has the pixiedust to glam up your socials big time. It's the red phone box in Parliament Square, north side, and if you stand alongside you can combine the holy trinity of a) red phone box b) the actual Big Ben c) your pouting...
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.
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
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
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
Things To Do In London On Christmas Day
Guided tours, river trips and Christmas lunch.
a year ago
Guided tours, river trips and Christmas lunch.
The Forney Flyer
MAF Liberia
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their...
over a year ago
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their flying for six weeks. Our Liberia program has been short on pilots and very busy with flying, so of course I was happy to help!
Above is a shot of a bunch of Covid vaccines...
Spoon & Tamago
A Glimpse Inside the Whimsical Wooden Miniature Homes of Yukihiro Akama
Artist Yukihiro Akama is set to unveil his largest exhibition to date, ‘Basho no Kankaku – A Sense...
9 months ago
Artist Yukihiro Akama is set to unveil his largest exhibition to date, ‘Basho no Kankaku – A Sense of Place,’ at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP).
Related posts:
Whimsical Wooden Automata by Kazuaki Harada
A Wooden Cabin Constructed Locally in the Mountains of Japan Using 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
Stafford
Gadabout: STAFFORD
Stafford is a West Midlands market town at the heart of its own county, located...
9 months ago
Gadabout: STAFFORD
Stafford is a West Midlands market town at the heart of its own county, located halfway between Crewe and Birmingham. It may be the same size as Crewe but it's over a millennium older, has much better shops and boasts a castle and some nice old buildings. It's...
Londonist
Tate Britain Reveals Grenfell-Inspired Staircase
Chris Ofili's Requiem unveiled.
a year ago
Chris Ofili's Requiem unveiled.
diamond geezer
Burnt Oak Brook
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Burnt Oak Brook
Mill Hill → Burnt Oak (2 miles)
London's bountiful...
2 months ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Burnt Oak Brook
Mill Hill → Burnt Oak (2 miles)
London's bountiful supply of unlost rivers continues to provide opportunities for waterside walking if you know where to look. This one flows not far from Edgware and is yet another tributary of the Silk...
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...
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.
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,...
diamond geezer
Mayoral hustings
In precisely two weeks' time Londoners get their chance to vote for a new Mayor. They won't, they'll...
8 months ago
In precisely two weeks' time Londoners get their chance to vote for a new Mayor. They won't, they'll vote for the old Mayor because Sadiq Khan is so far ahead in the polls he's effectively unstoppable. But we do know the 12 people who won't replace him, most of whom are destined...
diamond geezer
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of...
a year ago
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of globally-sourced animals, as well as a conservation hub and a prestige tourist attraction. But it's a bit pricey with tickets costing £27 on weekdays and £31 at weekends, or even more on the...
Londonist
Get Your Broken Stuff Fixed At These Workshops Across London This March
Most are free, too.
9 months ago
Londonist
How (And Why) To Get Tickets To The London Railway Station You've Never Heard Of
London International (CIV).
10 months ago
London International (CIV).
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!
Spoon & Tamago
Unwind With Books And Beverages at Iwami Ginzan’s Unique Library Cafe
All images © Iwami Ginzan Library Situated in Omori-cho, Ota City, Shimane Prefecture, the Iwami...
a year ago
All images © Iwami Ginzan Library Situated in Omori-cho, Ota City, Shimane Prefecture, the Iwami Ginzan Town Library Cafe and Co-working Space offers a unique fusion of a relaxed library atmosphere and modern amenities. It is housed within a former merchant’s residence on the...
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.
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...
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.”...
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
Polygon Road
As a heads-up, this is the trajectory of today's post.
a) Ooh, a street with an interesting name.
b)...
10 months ago
As a heads-up, this is the trajectory of today's post.
a) Ooh, a street with an interesting name.
b) Hmmm, I suspect it's also an interesting street.
c) Ah, now I've walked it I see it's not interesting after all.
d) But this gives me an idea about similarly-named streets.
e) Ah,...
diamond geezer
Revised security measures at the National Gallery
Last Friday the National Gallery made it harder for visitors to enjoy a look around.
Revised...
a month ago
Last Friday the National Gallery made it harder for visitors to enjoy a look around.
Revised security measures at the National Gallery
Walk-through metal detectors have been a fixture here for years, ditto a perfunctory bag check. This did tend to create queues but nothing...
Spoon & Tamago
Fukutake Tres is an Art Space Dedicated to the Fukutake Family, the Visionary Force Behind the...
Over the past three decades, Soichiro Fukutake, the former chairman of Tokyo-based education firm...
6 months ago
Over the past three decades, Soichiro Fukutake, the former chairman of Tokyo-based education firm Benesse Holdings, and his family have spent $250 million of their fortune to transform Naoshima and roughly a dozen neighboring islands in the Seto Inland Sea into a global art...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 11-17 December 2023
Roundup of Londonist articles from the past week.
a year ago
Roundup of Londonist articles from the past week.
Cheese and Biscuits
Restaurant of the Year 2022 - The Bridge Arms, Canterbury
Since the madness of the Covid Times, you may have noticed that the rate of posting on this blog has...
a year ago
Since the madness of the Covid Times, you may have noticed that the rate of posting on this blog has slowed down a bit. Where I used to try and do 6 or 7 posts a month, and with that obviously stopping completely while there was nothing open to review, I have since found that 2...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Articles on Adventure and Wellness in the Nordic Countries
4 months ago
The Forney Flyer
Northern Scenery, Way Back When...
Today I'm returning to the "Way Back When..." series, highlighting some of the surreal beauty we...
over a year ago
Today I'm returning to the "Way Back When..." series, highlighting some of the surreal beauty we enjoyed in the boreal forests of the far north.
Obviously most of these photos feature frigid beauty. That's because it was cold and snowy/icy much of the year. Also, there were...
diamond geezer
Exiting Northwood
I said I wasn't going to make a habit of this, and I'm not, but I've ticked off nine more.
The...
7 months ago
I said I wasn't going to make a habit of this, and I'm not, but I've ticked off nine more.
The black ticks are all the crossings I've crossed and my latest tranche are on the eastern side of the map between Batchworth Heath and Oxhey Woods, i.e. this bit.
this stretch of the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Kessler Collection Hotels with Art in the Southern U.S.
4 months ago
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 167
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles, 50 minutes
Because it's 16th July I've been out riding the 167, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Let's hit the Home Counties.
167 extends far enough to properly enter...
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...
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
Best Of Londonist: 15-21 January 2024
The best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
The best articles from the past week.
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:...
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...
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
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.
The Forney Flyer
Congratulations Hannah!
Congratulations Hannah! We are so proud of you!
over a year ago
Congratulations Hannah! We are so proud of you!
Londonist
Leicester Square And The Big Apple
London could have had a very weird monument to Isaac Newton.
10 months ago
London could have had a very weird monument to Isaac Newton.
diamond geezer
Loo symbols
This is one of the toughest decisions I've faced recently.
This is the entrance to the public...
10 months ago
This is one of the toughest decisions I've faced recently.
This is the entrance to the public conveniences under the Fulham Broadway Retail Centre.
I should point out that I'm not in the habit of photographing public conveniences. But the toilets at Fulham were very quiet,...
Londonist
Goodbye Glory, Hello Divine - East London's New-Not-New LGBTQ+ Club
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
10 months ago
"One New Year's Eve lock-in with Keira Knightley and Chelsea Clinton got a bit wild..."
Londonist
Fourth Plinth Winning Artworks For 2026 And 2028 Announced
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
9 months ago
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
diamond geezer
The news from Bow
Hyperlocal update: The news from Bow
1) The Bow East by-election took place on Thursday and we have...
3 months ago
Hyperlocal update: The news from Bow
1) The Bow East by-election took place on Thursday and we have a new councillor.
• Abdi Mohamed [Labour]: 53% (↑6%)
[Green]: 30% (↑14%)
[Conservative]: 10% (↑4%)
[Liberal Democrats]: 6% (↓2%)
It was a strong Labour performance, taking over...
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
The rising price of the double issue Radio Times
The Christmas double issue Radio Times has been published.
cover price has gone up again.
(and 50...
a week ago
The Christmas double issue Radio Times has been published.
cover price has gone up again.
(and 50 years ago, just 16p)
The data: 1974 16p, 1975 20p, 1976 22p, 1977 26p, 1978 26p, 1979 30p, 1980 36p, 1981 50p, 1982 50p, 1983 56p, 1984 60p, 1985 64p, 1986 70p, 1987 74p, 1988...
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
Visit London bolx
Visit London is the flagship brand charged with attracting tourists to the capital, and in this we...
a month ago
Visit London is the flagship brand charged with attracting tourists to the capital, and in this we wish them well. But they do write some absolute bolx.
This was their first tweet this month.
November has arrived and that can only mean one thing... a magical London...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Music-Themed Museums to Visit in Washington D.C.
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 157
Bus Route Of The Day
157: Crystal Palace to Morden
Quadrant: London southwest
Length of journey: 12...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
157: Crystal Palace to Morden
Quadrant: London southwest
Length of journey: 12 miles, 70 minutes
Because it's 15th July I've been out riding the 157, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Be warned I have a few of these up my sleeve as the week progresses,...
Londonist
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Kenji Yanobe’s BIG CAT BANG is Now on Display at Ginza Six
Space cats in astronaut suits, ultraman figurines reenacting the beginning of the universe, and a...
8 months ago
Space cats in astronaut suits, ultraman figurines reenacting the beginning of the universe, and a tribute to Taro Okamoto’s iconic Statue of the Sun sculpture. There’s a lot to love about artist Kenji Yanobe’s new installation, BIG CAT BANG, and it’s now on view to the public...
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,...
diamond geezer
I'll look it up later
Sometimes while out and about I see something intriguing, take a photo and research it when I get...
11 months ago
Sometimes while out and about I see something intriguing, take a photo and research it when I get home. Here are three of this week's serendipitous discoveries.
North: Gilpin's Bell
Where: Fore Street, Edmonton, N18
What I thought: Hmm, what's that lump of concrete in the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Attractions in California Travelers Should Know About
10 months ago
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...
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
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
This Free Quentin Blake Exhibition Lands In London At The End Of January
You can even buy the artworks.
11 months ago
You can even buy the artworks.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ashley English’s Favorite Things to Do in Asheville
11 months ago
diamond geezer
The Taylor Swift tube map
The most important event of the summer, if publicity is to be believed, is the arrival of Taylor...
6 months ago
The most important event of the summer, if publicity is to be believed, is the arrival of Taylor Swift to play eight gigs at Wembley Stadium. Taylor, as you'll be aware, is a billionaire singer from West Pennsylvania whose hit canon includes Shake It Off and several lesser known...
Londonist
How Aldwych Tube Station Could Have Become A Heritage 'Theme Park'
A subterranean heritage railway.
9 months ago
A subterranean heritage railway.
One from Nippon
Coffee in a Can
Life’s inconveniences, when they happen to you and me, are just that. Inconveniences.
When they...
a year ago
Life’s inconveniences, when they happen to you and me, are just that. Inconveniences.
When they happen to some people though they end up becoming multi-billion dollar businesses.
This is the story of Japan’s canned coffee.
One finds at least one vending machine in almost every...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Grand Hotel Timeo Launches Pop-Up Treehouse Suites by Dior
a year ago
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...
Londonist
The Biggest Exhibitions To See In London This Winter
Over 30 excellent exhibitions to choose from
a year ago
Over 30 excellent exhibitions to choose from
diamond geezer
I wish it could be every day
I wish it could be Christmas Eve every day
• Shopping would always be madness.
• No more Countdown...
12 months ago
I wish it could be Christmas Eve every day
• Shopping would always be madness.
• No more Countdown on C4, just endless reruns of The Snowman.
• You'd forever be wrapping presents but not opening them.
• You'd soon run out of sellotape.
• Christmas jumpers would no longer be a...
Londonist
The New DLR Trains Could Have Toy Steering Wheels Installed
Best. News. Ever.
11 months ago
Londonist
Tulips In London: When And Where To See Them In And Around The Capital
Who needs Amsterdam?
9 months ago
diamond geezer
Hyperlocal History Month
August is often Local History Month on diamond geezer. I thought this year I might go hyperlocal and...
4 months ago
August is often Local History Month on diamond geezer. I thought this year I might go hyperlocal and bring you historical details of objects and places particularly close to home. We'll see how it goes.
HYPERLOCAL HISTORY MONTH: My fridge
My fridge is four years old, having...
Londonist
East London Could Be Getting This Flashy New Lido
What a beaut.
a year ago
Londonist
Get A Dose Of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum
Small museum that's free to visit.
a year ago
Small museum that's free to visit.
diamond geezer
merry = 𝑥 - mas
We have the best signwriters at Bow Road station.
merry = 𝑥-mas
2 weeks ago
We have the best signwriters at Bow Road station.
merry = 𝑥-mas
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where Was Game of Thrones Filmed? 11 Locations You Can Visit
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Family-Friendly Travel Guide to Minneapolis, MN
7 months ago
diamond geezer
Anorak corner (tube edition)
Anorak Corner (the annual update) [tube edition]
Hurrah, it's that time of year again when TfL...
3 months ago
Anorak Corner (the annual update) [tube edition]
Hurrah, it's that time of year again when TfL silently updates its spreadsheet of annual passenger entry/exit totals at every tube station.
To be honest they did this last month, that's how silently the data was updated, but at...
Londonist
Cricket Cornish Pasty Anyone? London's Bug Restaurant Has Just Gone Permanent
Hop to it!
10 months ago
Londonist
Things To Do In London Over The Bank Holiday Weekend
Ways to fill a long weekend in the capital.
9 months ago
Ways to fill a long weekend in the capital.
Londonist
Santa Steam Express: Meet Father Christmas On A Vintage Train In London
The kids will be chuffed.
a year ago
The kids will be chuffed.
Londonist
Flotilla Led By Royal Barge To Carry Atomic Clock Along The Thames This Weekend
Watch time literally travel.
a year ago
Watch time literally travel.
Londonist
Halloween 2023: Parties, Events And Things To Do In London
Get your spook on.
a year ago
diamond geezer
346
Last Saturday one bus route on the edge of east London disappeared and another quadrupled in length....
9 months ago
Last Saturday one bus route on the edge of east London disappeared and another quadrupled in length. I didn't fancy spending my birthday in Upminster so left it a few days before taking a ride on the end result.
• The 346 used to be one of London's shortest bus routes, a brief...
Londonist
15 Things You Never Knew About Wembley Park
Steeped in history.
a year ago
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Bakerloo Line
A chronology of the brown line.
a year ago
A chronology of the brown line.
Spoon & Tamago
The 2024 Toyama Kei-Truck Gardening Contest
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the...
7 months ago
The 2024 Kei-Truck Gardening Contest took place over the weekend. In what is perhaps the most-Japanese contest, professional gardeners and landscapers compete to create a beautiful, seasonal, and unique landscape , all within the bed of their kei-trucks. This contest originated...
Londonist
Cycle All Day For £3, As Santander Cycles Introduces New Day Pass
We feel a challenge coming on...
11 months ago
We feel a challenge coming on...
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Gibraltar
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
11 months ago
The best things to see and do on 'the Rock'.
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....
diamond geezer
Farewell Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, first published in 1827, went to press for the last time on...
3 months ago
The Evening Standard, first published in 1827, went to press for the last time on Thursday.
<insert anecdotes here, including how it used to have competition, and how it used to be good, and how it used to cost money but you'd still buy it, and how it was never the same after...
diamond geezer
Push Your Luck
New campaign to make your Tube journey cheaper
The Off Peak Fridays trial ends this Friday, after...
6 months ago
New campaign to make your Tube journey cheaper
The Off Peak Fridays trial ends this Friday, after which pay as you go single fares will return to their original peak values every weekday. But cheaper travel for deserving Londoners remains one of the key mission goals of the...
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...
Londonist
The Curling Club Has Slid Into South Bank For A Winter-Long Après-Ski Party
Unleash your inner Winter Olympian.
a year ago
Unleash your inner Winter Olympian.
Spoon & Tamago
The Watermelon Kimono is the Perfect Summer Outfit
Summer in Japan is not summer in Japan without festivals and watermelon. So if you’re looking to...
6 months ago
Summer in Japan is not summer in Japan without festivals and watermelon. So if you’re looking to refresh your wardrobe with some playful pieces that celebrate the season, as well as festival-appropriate outfits, look no further than the watermelon kimono – a juicy take on a...
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (1)
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly...
a year ago
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly follow the meridian but it makes for a good name). Squatting on a small pontoon beside the northern terminal is the quirky sculpture Bird Boy by Laura Ford, a figure of a lost...
diamond geezer
Single life
Single life
Yes, I used to post this every year, but now I only do it every five.
Single: You get...
a month ago
Single life
Yes, I used to post this every year, but now I only do it every five.
Single: You get the whole duvet to yourself.
Coupled: You don't need a hot water bottle.
Single: There's half as much ironing to do.
Coupled: There's twice as much ironing to do but somebody else...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 4-10 September 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Hundreds Of Boats Race On The Thames The Week Before Oxford Vs Cambridge
Ever seen the Head of the River Race?
9 months ago
Ever seen the Head of the River Race?
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
Tractor Tax Protest
Thousands of farmers, countryfolk and their supporters were in central London yesterday to protest...
a month ago
Thousands of farmers, countryfolk and their supporters were in central London yesterday to protest against the imposition of inheritance tax on farmland. You could tell something was up by the number of people in Barbour jackets, tweed caps and sensible outerwear milling around...
Londonist
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.
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...
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 In London On Christmas Eve 2023
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
a year ago
Ice skating, festive films and Christmas carols.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Forest Gate: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Forest food!
a year ago
Londonist
Nostalgic For The Elephant And Castle Underpass? You Will Be After Watching This Maccabees Video
The ending almost had us weeping...
a year ago
The ending almost had us weeping...
diamond geezer
Moor Park
One Stop Beyond: Moor Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Moor 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 Moor Park, one stop beyond Northwood on the Metropolitan line, a Hertfordshire halt which exists thanks to a golf...
Londonist
The Notable Benches Of London
64 unusual benches in one graphic (you might want to sit down).
10 months ago
64 unusual benches in one graphic (you might want to sit down).
Londonist
Astounding Animal Statues By Gillie And Marc Near London Bridge
A Wild Life for Wildlife.
a year ago
A Wild Life for Wildlife.
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