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.
Londonist
London's Cemetery For Heroic Animals
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
a year ago
Rats to racehorses are laid to rest in this remarkable burial ground.
Londonist
Dreaming Of Owning A Home In France? You Need To Know About This Event!
The French Property Exhibition returns to London this month.
11 months ago
The French Property Exhibition returns to London this month.
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...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 11-17 September 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Penny Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York
a year ago
Londonist
London Gets A New Station As Brent Cross West Opens
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
a year ago
Handy for Brent Cross shopping centre.
diamond geezer
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...
Londonist
20+ Cheery Things To Do In London In January 2024
Events to get you through the dark winter days.
11 months ago
Events to get you through the dark winter days.
Londonist
45+ Fantastic Things To Do In London This Month: November 2023
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
a year ago
Vintage cars, new exhibitions and the all-important Christmas light switch-ons.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 18-24 September 2023
A tube map for planes, a street with four names - plus a really silly interview.
a year ago
A tube map for planes, a street with four names - plus a really silly interview.
diamond geezer
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
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
TfL Launches A New Podcast Hosted By Tim Dunn
Guests include Tube Mapper and, er, Rylan.
a year ago
Guests include Tube Mapper and, er, Rylan.
diamond geezer
Park Lane
PARK
LANE
£350
London's Monopoly Streets
PARK LANE
Colour group: dark blue
Purchase price:...
a week ago
PARK
LANE
£350
London's Monopoly Streets
PARK LANE
Colour group: dark blue
Purchase price: £350
Rent: £35
Length: 1200m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
Park Lane, a seething dual carriageway that somehow retains a luxury cachet. One side is a wall of superior hideaways and...
Londonist
Where To Watch Fireworks On Bonfire Night In London 2023
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
a year ago
Mark Guy Fawkes Night with a bang.
diamond geezer
Monday transport news
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Monday.
You've Got...
a year ago
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Monday.
You've Got Mail
Here's the roundel mat at Acton Main Line which is located just behind the gateline. It's easiest seen by those exiting the station, although they can only read it upside-down...
Londonist
Captain Zip's Amazing Film Footage Of London Punks In The 1970s And 80s
They even visit Downing Street.
a year ago
They even visit Downing Street.
Londonist
Stunning Images At Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2023
National Maritime Museum shows off the cosmos.
a year ago
National Maritime Museum shows off the cosmos.
Londonist
Skyscraper Bagging: How Many Of London's 20 Tallest Buildings Have You Been Up?
Ticking off the towers.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Leicester Square
LEICESTER
SQUARE
£260
London's Monopoly Streets
LEICESTER SQUARE
Colour group: yellow
Purchase...
3 months ago
LEICESTER
SQUARE
£260
London's Monopoly Streets
LEICESTER SQUARE
Colour group: yellow
Purchase price: £260
Rent: £22
Area: 2 acres
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: WC2
And so to the yellows, the 'entertainment' corner of the Monopoly board. One theory has it that their ordered...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Outdoor Adventures Near Marriott Hotels in Florida
5 months ago
diamond geezer
Mayday Mayday
London has just two streets called Mayday Something. I've been to both.
Mayday Road Thornton Heath...
7 months ago
London has just two streets called Mayday Something. I've been to both.
Mayday Road Thornton Heath CR7
Saints and Sinners pub (which you can tell closed three years ago because it's still advertising a pint for £2.99). Perhaps dodge the ambulances. And here you'll find Mayday...
Londonist
Secrets Of 19th Century Workhouse Uncovered At St Pancras Dig
Fireplaces, vibrant walls and hot water bottles revealed.
a year ago
Fireplaces, vibrant walls and hot water bottles revealed.
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.
Londonist
TfL Is Closing Five Tube Lines This Weekend
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
a year ago
Planning on taking the tube this Saturday? Check before you travel!
diamond geezer
Lower Lea Valley Bus Review
HYPERLOCAL BUS NEWS: Lower Lea Valley Bus Review
development papers focused on particular...
4 months ago
HYPERLOCAL BUS NEWS: Lower Lea Valley Bus Review
development papers focused on particular geographical areas. A recent set covers the Lower Lea Valley, an area of "historically relatively low trip-generating industrial land progressively transforming into higher trip-generating...
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.
Londonist
The Absolute Worst Things You Can Say To A Londoner
"I bought my flat in the early 2000s for 150k."
a year ago
"I bought my flat in the early 2000s for 150k."
diamond geezer
Walking between Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3
A Nice Walk: Heathrow T2 to T3 (500m)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too...
6 months ago
A Nice Walk: Heathrow T2 to T3 (500m)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, a bit of a stroll, world class transport connections, dry in all weathers, popular with tourists, moving walkways, duty free opportunities, entirely step-free, won't take...
diamond geezer
10,000 clicks
Yesterday Google sent me an email.
Congratulations! Your site reached 10K clicks from Google Search...
a year ago
Yesterday Google sent me an email.
Congratulations! Your site reached 10K clicks from Google Search in the past 28 days.
This is because several people still turn up at diamond geezer via search engines rather than visiting deliberately - apparently over 300 people daily. They...
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...
Why Madeira, Portugal Is the Ideal Stopover Destination
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...
diamond geezer
Five years of new stations
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half...
a year ago
Today it's five years since the day Crossrail was supposed to open but didn't.
three and a half years to run the first train. People in high places must have been lying their socks off.
• Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms and the Northern line extension
Brent Cross...
diamond geezer
completely screwed at the moment
I was on the Central line the other day and there was a 15 minute gap between trains. You might...
10 months ago
I was on the Central line the other day and there was a 15 minute gap between trains. You might expect this kind of thing at the extremities or late at night, but not at Bethnal Green mid-morning. "Sorry, we're going to be held here for 5 minutes," said the driver. "This is due...
Londonist
The Elysian Arcs: Giant Rainbows And Bubbles Appear Beneath Cheesegrater
Free installation bring colour to City.
9 months ago
Free installation bring colour to City.
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
The Ballot For Wimbledon 2024 Is Now Open
Ace!
a year ago
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Park City, Utah's Top Winter Activities for Families
2 weeks ago
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...
Londonist
New York Had A Crystal Palace And It Also Burned Down
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
11 months ago
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
diamond geezer
Wealdstone and Whetstone
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the...
a year ago
Two London suburbs (and thus two tube stations) are named after lumps of rock at the side of the road. Let's visit both.
The Weald Stone, Wealdstone
What? The Weald Stone is a humpy lump of sarsen stone approximately the same length as a sleeping human.
Where? Not in the centre...
Londonist
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
BustopMas
Now that December's here the festivity in London is palpable! And as Christmas grows closer our...
a year ago
Now that December's here the festivity in London is palpable! And as Christmas grows closer our appetite for seasonal treats grows ever stronger. It can mean only one thing: winter is upon us and Christmas has officially arrived.
This year's big ticket event is BustopMas, a...
diamond geezer
Midsummer Day
Officially Midsummer Day is 24th June.
And midsummer is also 6th August.
astronomical definition...
5 months ago
Officially Midsummer Day is 24th June.
And midsummer is also 6th August.
astronomical definition of summer is the period between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. Summer is 94 days long so we're looking for the 47th day after the solstice and that's 6th August....
AFAR Media - Travel...
Lufthansa Strives to for More Eco-Friendly Air Travel
2 months ago
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (3)
Danglegeek (6) Final facts
• Did you know that if your Dangleway journey is delayed for 15...
a year ago
Danglegeek (6) Final facts
• Did you know that if your Dangleway journey is delayed for 15 minutes or more by bad weather, customer incidents, engineering works, security alerts or strikes you may be able to get a refund. It says so on the delay repay webpage.
TfL website, one...
diamond geezer
In the shadow of
We often say somewhere is "in the shadow of" something without it necessarily being true.
The sun...
10 months ago
We often say somewhere is "in the shadow of" something without it necessarily being true.
The sun does not cast a shadow from the first location to the second, that's not how daylight works, so these places are not "in the shadow of".
Let's start with something familiar in...
diamond geezer
Westminster 25
Silver Jubilee: Westminster
Westminster's Jubilee line platforms opened 25 years ago today on 22nd...
13 hours ago
Silver Jubilee: Westminster
Westminster's Jubilee line platforms opened 25 years ago today on 22nd December 1999.
Westminster station - a clickable choose-your-own adventure
(it is genuinely clickable - give it a go!)
(1) You have arrived on the westbound Jubilee line...
Londonist
In Pictures: The East End Pubs Of London
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
a year ago
Bars stools, sticky carpets, cash only - bliss.
diamond geezer
Paddington plus
Paddington tube station has another entrance. I know, another one.
It already has a...
2 months ago
Paddington tube station has another entrance. I know, another one.
It already has a District/Circle/Bakerloo entrance on the mainline concourse, a separate District/Circle entrance across the road on Praed Street, a completely separate Circle/Hammersmith & City entrance over...
Spoon & Tamago
Kumu in Kanazawa Connects People and Places
all photos by takumi ota The Japanese word kumu is a verb with many nuances. Depending on the...
11 months ago
all photos by takumi ota The Japanese word kumu is a verb with many nuances. Depending on the context, kumu can mean “to join,” “to draw out,” or “to pour.” In that sense, it was the perfect name for a hotel that embodies connection and hospitality: connecting people with a...
diamond geezer
The 'Inside The Circle Line' Tube Challenge
Let's celebrate the cancellation of today's tube strike by tackling a really pointless...
a year ago
Let's celebrate the cancellation of today's tube strike by tackling a really pointless challenge.
The 'Inside The Circle Line' Tube Challenge
No station can be visited more than once.
So, for example, you might ride one stop from Queensway to Lancaster Gate, then get out...
diamond geezer
Where's WHS?
I needed to buy something from WHSmith but they didn't have it in the Stratford Westfield branch so...
a year ago
I needed to buy something from WHSmith but they didn't have it in the Stratford Westfield branch so I went to Canary Wharf instead. Except it turned out there isn't a Canary Wharf branch, there hasn't been for years, despite Google telling me it existed and was open. I did some...
Londonist
Petition Launched As Stratford's Beloved Market Village Suddenly Closes
It'd been going for over 30 years.
11 months ago
It'd been going for over 30 years.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 1-7 January 2024
All our best articles from the past week.
11 months ago
All our best articles from the past week.
Londonist
Christmas Carol Concerts In London To Make You Feel All Warm And Fuzzy Inside This December
Including one with dogs. Woof!
a year ago
Including one with dogs. Woof!
diamond geezer
Extinguishing the 497
This post is about little-used buses on the eastern edge of Havering. If you've never ridden the...
11 months ago
This post is about little-used buses on the eastern edge of Havering. If you've never ridden the 346, 347 or 497 it may not be for you.
least frequent bus (speciality routes excepted), and Geoff's just made a video about it.
consultation to tweak/combine/withdraw these three...
diamond geezer
Unblogged February
29 unblogged things I did in February
Thu 1: While I was in Trafalgar Square today I stood in the...
9 months ago
29 unblogged things I did in February
Thu 1: While I was in Trafalgar Square today I stood in the shadow of Nelson's Column and took a photo of it stretching towards the National Gallery. It's much better than the photo I used last week in my post about the shadow of Nelson's...
Spoon & Tamago
Five Things To Look Forward to at the 2025 World Expo Japan Pavilion
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka, slated to take place in Osaka, is just 6 months away. Taking place...
2 months ago
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka, slated to take place in Osaka, is just 6 months away. Taking place from April 13 to October 13, 2025, the expo aims to be a participatory, experiential, solutions-oriented exposition, offering the world an opportunity to come together in one place to...
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.
Spoon & Tamago
A Temporary Rooftop Forest Replaces Fukuoka’s Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine During Renovations
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will...
a year ago
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will undergo a massive renovation beginning in May of 2023. And for three years the honden main hall will be completely closed off to the roughly 10 million visitors who come to the...
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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
U.S. Airplane Bathrooms Must Meet New Accessibility Rules
a year ago
Londonist
In Pictures: Pollock's Toy Museum Relaunches In Croydon
Whitgift Centre pop-up is utterly delightful.
11 months ago
Whitgift Centre pop-up is utterly delightful.
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...
Eight Must-See Places and Women-Owned Businesses in Kansas City
a year ago
Londonist
Pick Your Own Christmas Tree At These Festive Farms In And Around London
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
a year ago
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Embark on Epic Adventures in the British Virgin Islands
a year ago
diamond geezer
Victoria vents in Islington
One thing every underground railway needs is ventilation and the Victoria line needs it more than...
a year ago
One thing every underground railway needs is ventilation and the Victoria line needs it more than most. It runs fully underground from end to end and has lengthy distances between stations, so without atmospheric release would soon come unstuck. Engineers therefore had to include...
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
Detailed Survey Drawings of Tokyo Hotel Rooms by Kei Endo
Kei Endo is an accomplished architect and draughtswoman. And she also enjoys staying at hotels,...
a year ago
Kei Endo is an accomplished architect and draughtswoman. And she also enjoys staying at hotels, which was the beginning of a wonderful side-hustle that brought together the best of both her worlds, and resulted in a new book deal. Endo reports on the hotels she stays in through...
Spoon & Tamago
Not a Hotel: A Unique Timeshare Concept Redefining Luxury Travel
All images © Kenta Hasegawa courtesy Suppose Design Office “Buy a vacation home that doubles as a...
a year ago
All images © Kenta Hasegawa courtesy Suppose Design Office “Buy a vacation home that doubles as a hotel.” That’s the tagline for ‘Not A Hotel,’ a real estate start-up founded by Shinji Hamazu. The company challenges the traditional hotel model by treating it as a timeshare and...
Spoon & Tamago
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
“Aquarium of Leaves” A 37-year old Japanese artist who goes by the name Lito has been living with...
a year ago
“Aquarium of Leaves” A 37-year old Japanese artist who goes by the name Lito has been living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) his entire life. Lito had been searching for an outlet where he could channel his above-normal levels of concentration and...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 9-10 September 2023
30+ events, including a new food festival, beautiful boats and Open House London.
a year ago
30+ events, including a new food festival, beautiful boats and Open House London.
Cheese and Biscuits
Hong Kong Restaurant, Angel
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at...
2 months ago
London has never been the kind of place where you can just pick a restaurant at random and have at least a decent dinner. There are too many tourist traps, dingy fast food joints, grim chains and bandwagon-jumping copycats (just see how many smash burger joints have appeared in...
Cheese and Biscuits
YiQi, Chinatown
As any self-respecting 2024 London restaurant-goer knows, the trend in Asian cuisine is towards...
7 months ago
As any self-respecting 2024 London restaurant-goer knows, the trend in Asian cuisine is towards regional specification. You're not just Thai, you're Northern Thai/Isarn. You're either selling Tokyo ramen or Sapporo Miso or Kyoto-style Kaiseki. And if you're Chinese, are you...
Londonist
Quirky Christmas Eats To Sink Your Teeth Into Around London
From mince pie doughnuts to spiced Aperol spritzes.
a year ago
From mince pie doughnuts to spiced Aperol spritzes.
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...
diamond geezer
50 dull lists
50 dull lists
UK cities without a railway station: Armagh, Ripon, St Asaph, St Davids,...
3 months ago
50 dull lists
UK cities without a railway station: Armagh, Ripon, St Asaph, St Davids, Wells
Commemorative stamps 2024: Spice Girls, Weather forecasting, Vikings, Dinosaurs, 100 years of commemorative stamps, Peppa Pig, Dogs, Red Arrows, Dungeons & Dragons, Tower of London,...
diamond geezer
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...
Cheese and Biscuits
Oren, Dalston
Mumbling and grumbling during my journey to Dalston the other night, as the 38 bus did an average...
a year ago
Mumbling and grumbling during my journey to Dalston the other night, as the 38 bus did an average speed of just less than walking pace all the way from Holborn in the pouring rain, just helped to highlight how I end up travelling to some parts of town for dinner over and over...
diamond geezer
Merton rebrands
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually...
a year ago
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually from the end of November, and I'll let the council's branding team explain why.
We have been using the same logo as the foundation stone of our corporate identity for the past 30...
Londonist
"Wretched, Frightful, Monstrous" - How London's Iconic Landmarks Were First Reviewed
Inc. some serious shade thrown on Tower Bridge.
8 months ago
Inc. some serious shade thrown on Tower Bridge.
Londonist
Christmas Shows In London 2023: Fantastically Festive Theatre, Dance And Comedy
Including a return for Elf The Musical - and a debut for Christmas Actually.
a year ago
Including a return for Elf The Musical - and a debut for Christmas Actually.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Kid-Friendly Historic Sites and Attractions to Visit in Germany
6 months ago
Londonist
Take A Peek Inside The Royal Albert Hall's New Archive Collection
From Queen Victoria to Beyonce, this place has seen them all.
a year ago
From Queen Victoria to Beyonce, this place has seen them all.
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.
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan’s Hot Springs
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 three-part article.
We thank our avid reader “S” who suggested this topic and graciously helped with our research.
Could a nation’s bathing culture be influenced by
Cheese and Biscuits
Mamapen at the Sun and 13 Cantons, Soho
There are a few pubs in London notable for their hosting of fledgling food businesses, giving...
3 months ago
There are a few pubs in London notable for their hosting of fledgling food businesses, giving talented but cash-strapped teams a chance to test their market and their cooking skills without the risk and stress of opening a completely brand new restaurant. Over the years, you will...
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Whale Butter Dish Designed by Akira Yoshimura
This whimsical butter dish is sure to bring a sea of change to your kitchen. Designed by Akira...
a year ago
This whimsical butter dish is sure to bring a sea of change to your kitchen. Designed by Akira Yoshimura (previously) and lovingly produced by the metal artisans of Takaoka-based Sanomasa, the Whale Butter Dish is made in the likeness of a whale that has swallowed a stick of...
Cheese and Biscuits
Jeune & Jolie, Carlsbad
To a visitor from lands afar (me) who sees this part of the world in little two-week periods twice a...
a month ago
To a visitor from lands afar (me) who sees this part of the world in little two-week periods twice a year, Jeune & Jolie feels like it did all the work of establishing itself as one of the best restaurants in California in a metaphorical blink of an eye, a few short months...
Londonist
You Can Take A Dip In This Rooftop Pool Overlooking Battersea Power Station
art'otel announces series of aerobics classes.
11 months ago
art'otel announces series of aerobics classes.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore is The City's Best Hotel
a year ago
diamond geezer
Bow Street
BOW
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
BOW STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price:...
6 months ago
BOW
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
BOW STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price: £180
Rent: £14
Length: 200m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: WC2
n.b. This is Bow Street in Covent Garden which is nowhere near Bow Road in Bow, nor close to the church of St-Mary-le-Bow...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 23-29 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Union, Rye
Over the last, I don't know, ten or fifteen or so years - certainly since the expansion of the St...
over a year ago
Over the last, I don't know, ten or fifteen or so years - certainly since the expansion of the St John universe but also since places like Lyle's and the Sportsman and the Draper's Arms spread their wings - a kind of consensus has appeared on what constitutes a Modern British...
Londonist
Jings! London Is Getting A Deli Selling Nothing But Scottish Food
The Shoap opens in Angel in February.
10 months ago
The Shoap opens in Angel in February.
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...
Londonist
London's Best Whisky Bars
Fancy a wee dram?
11 months ago
Londonist
Best Of London 2023: It's The Annual Londonist Awards!
Dust off your tux - it's trophy time!
12 months ago
Dust off your tux - it's trophy time!
diamond geezer
The last QEOP entrance opens
In good news the last entrance into the Olympic Park has finally opened. About time too.
The new...
2 months ago
In good news the last entrance into the Olympic Park has finally opened. About time too.
The new connection starts just beyond the bridge over the Waterworks River, where a broad shallow concrete ramp bears off from the Greenway and slopes down towards the railway. It's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How to Get Tickets for Outstanding in the Field Dinners
a year ago
Cheese and Biscuits
The Urchin, Hove
As soon as the sun comes out on a bank holiday, it feels like half of London heads down to the south...
7 months ago
As soon as the sun comes out on a bank holiday, it feels like half of London heads down to the south coast, and Brighton in particular. And though that town certainly has a lot going for it, not least a thriving restaurant and pub/wine scene that can show you a great time at all...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 13-19 November 2023
The very best of Londonist from the past week.
a year ago
The very best of Londonist from the past week.
diamond geezer
Donkey Lane
To continue this year's Christmas perambulations, three little donkeys.
Donkey Lane EN1
just off...
a year ago
To continue this year's Christmas perambulations, three little donkeys.
Donkey Lane EN1
just off the Great Cambridge Road in the London borough of Enfield. Locally the local area is known as Carterhatch, and might be known more widely had the potential Overground station not...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, a hotel in Bali, Indonesia
a year ago
diamond geezer
The Watling Street divide
Watling Street runs for over ten miles from the heart of the West End to the very edge of the...
2 weeks ago
Watling Street runs for over ten miles from the heart of the West End to the very edge of the capital, nigh straight and essentially roundaboutless. Not only is today's Edgware Road a Roman survivor but it's also probably London's most influential road democracywise. That's...
Londonist
The London Marathon 2024: A Complete Guide To Watching And Taking Part
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
8 months ago
When, where, who and how of London's biggest run.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Lisbon's Culinary Scene Rivals Europe's Best Food Cities
a month ago
Londonist
Review: Kate Berlant's Masterful Show Will Have You Crying With Laughter
Believe the hype.
a year ago
diamond geezer
In Jail
After Pentonville Road the next square on the Monopoly board is Jail. It's not assigned a location -...
9 months ago
After Pentonville Road the next square on the Monopoly board is Jail. It's not assigned a location - the corner squares never are - but I wonder if they had Pentonville Prison in mind when placing Pentonville Road beside the Jail. The two aren't close in real life, Pentonville...
diamond geezer
Basingstoke
Gadabout: BASINGSTOKE
Basingstoke is a large town in north Hampshire, roughly halfway along the M3...
5 months ago
Gadabout: BASINGSTOKE
Basingstoke is a large town in north Hampshire, roughly halfway along the M3 motorway. It's simultaneously ancient and modern, a traditional market town selected by the London County Council for substantial postwar expansion which saw its population increase...
Londonist
Martin Luther King Gets A London Blue Plaque
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
11 months ago
The activist visited Bloomsbury in 1961.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 4-5 November 2023
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
a year ago
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
Londonist
29 Things To Do In London On 29 February
Use your extra day of 2024 wisely.
10 months ago
Use your extra day of 2024 wisely.
Londonist
A Fantastically Festive Walk Through London's Christmas Lights And Decorations
A self-guided tour through lights, shop window displays, ice rinks and more.
a year ago
A self-guided tour through lights, shop window displays, ice rinks and more.
Londonist
Christmas Has Returned To The Royal Albert Hall
From carols to festive films in concert.
a year ago
From carols to festive films in concert.
Herbert Lui
Confidence vs. trusting the process
“This might not work,” Seth Godin writes in his blog post, “Out on a limb.” (It’s one of my...
2 weeks ago
“This might not work,” Seth Godin writes in his blog post, “Out on a limb.” (It’s one of my favorites, alongside “Talker’s Block.” ) It’s fascinating to see this idea make it into a key part of his book The Practice, which I recently picked up and find myself liking a lot. If you...
Londonist
Crown And Coronation: Regal Light Show To Be Projected Onto Tower Of London
This one will be popular - and tickets are available now!
a year ago
This one will be popular - and tickets are available now!
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 15-21 January 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
11 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
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.
diamond geezer
All lines challenge
"How can you travel just one stop on every tube line?" is an interesting question.
2003 as part of...
a year ago
"How can you travel just one stop on every tube line?" is an interesting question.
2003 as part of this blog's very first Tube Week, and again in 2015 when I went out and rode the solution. It's a question which can be varied according to how you choose to define a tube line,...
Londonist
Get Free Entry To The London Dungeon This Monday
To cheer you up on 'Blue Monday'.
11 months ago
To cheer you up on 'Blue Monday'.
Londonist
Rare Chelsea Books: Memories Of A Bookshop On The King's Road
"We discouraged visitors from bringing in galettes, to prevent sticky fingers."
a year ago
"We discouraged visitors from bringing in galettes, to prevent sticky fingers."
Londonist
London's Best Private Party Venues For Smaller Groups
'Tis almost the season.
a year ago
Londonist
Ice Hockey In London: Who Are The Teams, Where To Watch And When's It On?
Puck up your ideas.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Overground line factfile
Overground line factfile
(because all the stats have changed)
Windrush line...
3 weeks ago
Overground line factfile
(because all the stats have changed)
Windrush line
Operates: Highbury & Islington to New Cross/Clapham Junction/Crystal Palace/West Croydon
Colour on map: red parallel lines
Joined the Overground: 2010
Length: 24 miles
Zones: 1-5
Number...
diamond geezer
Hyperlocal news
HYPERLOCAL HISTORY MONTH: Looking forward
(I'm not sure things happening in September really count...
4 months ago
HYPERLOCAL HISTORY MONTH: Looking forward
(I'm not sure things happening in September really count as History, but they are Hyperlocal)
Major roadworks at Bow Interchange
announced temporary timetables are being introduced on bus routes 25, 205, 276, 277, 425 and D7 starting on...
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Insider’s Guide to Wellness Travel in Sweden and Norway
4 months ago
diamond geezer
Old Bexley & Sidcup
I've not been especially balanced in my recent reporting of the capital.
• Yesterday I went to...
6 months ago
I've not been especially balanced in my recent reporting of the capital.
• Yesterday I went to Carpenters Road in the constituency of Stratford & Bow where Labour's Uma Kumaran is going to walk it.
• The day before I went to Ham in the constituency of Richmond Park where Liberal...
diamond geezer
The Tower of London
Residents of Tower Hamlets can visit the Tower of London for £1.
n.b. You don't book in advance...
a year ago
Residents of Tower Hamlets can visit the Tower of London for £1.
n.b. You don't book in advance online, you just turn up at the ticket desk and ask.
library card, but now all you need is proof of address.
website.
20 things to see inside the Tower of London
White Tower
1)...
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Diwali 2023 In London
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
a year ago
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
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...
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)...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Winter Resorts and Activities in Central Minnesota
a month ago
diamond geezer
Just hanging around
25% of the 13 minute journey from Whitechapel to Paddington is spent not moving.
I tweeted this...
a year ago
25% of the 13 minute journey from Whitechapel to Paddington is spent not moving.
I tweeted this on Thursday, and it currently has 616 likes.
» Glad it’s not just me that’s noticed abnormally long dwell times. Very annoying!
» The padding is incredible
» God forbid a public...
Londonist
Guess What Our Most-Read Article Of 2023 Was...
You love Christmas and the tube - but what was numero uno?
12 months ago
You love Christmas and the tube - but what was numero uno?
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 9-15 October 2023
Live music, a Superpower Academy and a free games night - all under a fiver.
a year ago
Live music, a Superpower Academy and a free games night - all under a fiver.
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...
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
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
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...
diamond geezer
The Angel, Islington
THE ANGEL
ISLINGTON
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
The ANGEL, ISLINGTON
Colour group: light...
10 months ago
THE ANGEL
ISLINGTON
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
The ANGEL, ISLINGTON
Colour group: light blue
Purchase price: £100
Rent: £6
Length: n/a
Borough: Islington
Postcode: N1
The Angel has quite a backstory, indeed if you want a full a proper history you should read the lengthy...
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Lunar New Year And Chinese New Year 2024 In London
Events and celebrations to welcome 2024's Year of the Dragon.
11 months ago
Events and celebrations to welcome 2024's Year of the Dragon.
Londonist
5 'New' Pubs Promised For City Of London By 2027
But are any actually new?
a year ago
But are any actually new?
diamond geezer
DGD at 85
My Dad is 85 years old today, which is damned good going.
Thu 20th October 1938 (0): A first child...
a year ago
My Dad is 85 years old today, which is damned good going.
Thu 20th October 1938 (0): A first child is born to my grandparents. Home is a new-ish semi-detached house backing onto the canal. Born on the same day - long jumper Fred Alsop and singer Kathy Kirby.
Wed 20th October...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Royal Oak, Whatcote
There are so many different types of restaurant, so much variety in the ways and manner and styles...
3 months ago
There are so many different types of restaurant, so much variety in the ways and manner and styles that we eat out, that sometimes it's amazing we find anything in common about the experience at all. And yet somehow we do, and restaurant critics and food blogs exist because, by...
Londonist
Sh!t Show: Exhibition Of Toilet Graffiti Comes To London In January
Not your bog standard art outing.
a year ago
Not your bog standard art outing.
Londonist
The Great Fire Of London: 10 Key Sites To See
Monument, Pudding Lane, the Golden Boy and more.
a year ago
Monument, Pudding Lane, the Golden Boy and more.
Londonist
Street Art Hopscotch Appears In London, With A Potent Anti-War Message
“Stop talking about the politics of war and think more about the children suffering from conflict."
a year ago
“Stop talking about the politics of war and think more about the children suffering from conflict."
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 20-21 January 2024
Two words: cheese market.
11 months ago
Two words: cheese market.
Londonist
East London Could Be Getting This Flashy New Lido
What a beaut.
a year 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.
Londonist
April And May Tube Strikes Called Off
No tube strike next Monday after all.
8 months ago
No tube strike next Monday after all.
diamond geezer
Redditch
Gadabout: REDDITCH
Redditch is an old market town a dozen miles south of Birmingham and marginally...
3 months ago
Gadabout: REDDITCH
Redditch is an old market town a dozen miles south of Birmingham and marginally in Worcestershire. It's also a new town, one of the second wave designated in the mid 1960s, and expanded considerably to create a car-friendly constellation of residential nuclei....
diamond geezer
Crossing the boundary
While I was in Enfield, heading away from the power station, I decided to depart across Sewardstone...
8 months ago
While I was in Enfield, heading away from the power station, I decided to depart across Sewardstone Marsh. Why exit the dull way when you can cross the Lea and walk through a minor Essex village? The riverside path passed nosey ponies and a pumping station and crossed three...
Londonist
Rude Tube: 160 Years Since First Naughty Graffiti On The Underground
What *did* he write?
9 months ago
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in October 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in October 2024
1) The five road junctions with the most...
a month ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in October 2024
1) The five road junctions with the most casualties and collisions over the last three years (specifically the greatest 'casualty harm') are the Redbridge Roundabout, Seven Sisters, Elephant & Castle, the foot of Ilford...
diamond geezer
London's High Streets
How many High Streets are there in London?
Here's a map.
Acton, Barkingside, Barnet, Beckenham,...
6 months ago
How many High Streets are there in London?
Here's a map.
Acton, Barkingside, Barnet, Beckenham, Brentford, Bromley, Carshalton, Cheam, Chislehurst, Cowley, Cranford, Croydon, Downe, Ealing, Edgware, Farnborough, Feltham, Green Street Green, Hampton, Hampton Wick, Harefield,...
Londonist
Fears Over Redevelopment Of Surbiton Station
Public consultation now open.
a year ago
Public consultation now open.
Londonist
300 Of Elton John's Photos Go On Display At V&A This Summer
Marilyn Monroe, the AIDS crisis and 9/11 feature.
9 months ago
Marilyn Monroe, the AIDS crisis and 9/11 feature.
Cheese and Biscuits
Little Cellars, Camberwell
Having enjoyed the original Peckham Cellars very much, I eagerly jumped on a very kind invitation to...
a year ago
Having enjoyed the original Peckham Cellars very much, I eagerly jumped on a very kind invitation to their new Camberwell offshoot. Little Cellars is aptly named - there's a couple of high tables for 6 in the middle of the room and 8 lower seats arranged looking out of the two...
Londonist
TfL Releases Treasure Trove Of Historic Tube Maps, Photos And More
The transport motherlode via Google Arts & Culture.
10 months ago
The transport motherlode via Google Arts & Culture.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 30 October-5 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 28 August-3 September 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Spoon & Tamago
Director Ryota Nakano to be Special Guest at Japan Society’s Family Portrait: Japanese Family in...
this post is sponsored by Japan Society Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan...
10 months ago
this post is sponsored by Japan Society Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society are proud to announce the eighth installment of the ACA Cinema Project film series, Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux. The series examines the shifting dynamics and...
Londonist
"Every Year We Do A Free Christmas Day Dinner At Our Wimbledon Pub, For People On Their Own"
Almost 200 people come to the Alex on 25 Dec.
a year ago
Almost 200 people come to the Alex on 25 Dec.
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
Bus of the day 197
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles, 65 minutes
Because it's 19th July I've been out riding the 197, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. My apologies for the repetition.
Threepenny Bit building, stopping not...
Londonist
Punk Bands In 1970s London: Rescued And Never-Before-Seen-Photos
Free exhibition only on for a month.
a year ago
Free exhibition only on for a month.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 23-24 December 2023
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
a year ago
Events in the capital on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve Eve.
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...
diamond geezer
McDonald's in Woolwich at 50
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque...
a month ago
50 years ago today England's first McDonald's restaurant opened.
There's a brilliant plaque outside.
The three signatories were big names in the American company - Robert Rhea, Fred Turner and Ray Kroc - but none of them turned up. Instead the ribbon was cut by the dynamic...
Londonist
10 DLR Trains Have Now Got Front Seat 'Control Panels' You Can Play With
Sorry, that your KIDS can play with.
11 months ago
Sorry, that your KIDS can play with.
Londonist
Fourth Plinth - Shortlist For 2026 And 2028 Sculptures Is Revealed
Ice cream vans, sweet potatoes and slime.
10 months ago
Ice cream vans, sweet potatoes and slime.
Cheese and Biscuits
Bossa, Marylebone
I don't know whether it's by design or sheer accident that Bossa, a brand new Brazilian restaurant...
a year ago
I don't know whether it's by design or sheer accident that Bossa, a brand new Brazilian restaurant from chef Alberto Landgraf, has landed right next door to the Brazilian embassy. But it felt very appropriate walking under a giant Brazilian flag up to the front steps of Bossa -...
Londonist
Tempting New Afternoon Teas To Try In London Right Now: March 2024
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
9 months ago
Get booking for the newest afternoon tea menus in the capital.
diamond geezer
Arsenal title-chasing live blog
Arsenal title-chasing live blog
16:00 Could still win it.
16:05 Bugger.
16:23 Sigh.
16:43...
7 months ago
Arsenal title-chasing live blog
16:00 Could still win it.
16:05 Bugger.
16:23 Sigh.
16:43 Aagh.
16:45 Oooh.
17:22 Bugger.
17:53 Ooooooh!
17:54 Sigh.
17:59 Could still win it.
18:00 Didn't.
Londonist
The Top Exhibitions To See In London: April 2024
From Caravaggio to Antony Gormley.
9 months ago
From Caravaggio to Antony Gormley.
diamond geezer
DIY blogpost
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of...
a year ago
For one day only I'm offering you the opportunity to write today's post. Ten or so paragraphs of factual musings, hopefully entertaining and illuminating, for the wider readership to enjoy. I'll pick the topic, you provide the words.
Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to write...
diamond geezer
Last week unblogged
10 things I've seen/done/read over the last week
Tuesday (a): Last week I wrote a post about...
10 months ago
10 things I've seen/done/read over the last week
Tuesday (a): Last week I wrote a post about housing built on former airfields. Today I found myself standing outside some housing built on a former airfield, a fact made plain by someone mounting a model plane on the front of one...
Londonist
Horizon 22: Visit The Tallest Free Viewing Gallery In Europe
The City's tallest building lets you looking down on the Shard.
a year ago
The City's tallest building lets you looking down on the Shard.
Londonist
Miracle At Henrietta: The Christmassiest Bar In London
It's Kiiiiiiiitschmas!
a year ago
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!
Cheese and Biscuits
Zapote, Shoreditch
One of the best things about being in San Diego twice a year (apart from the zoo... and seeing the...
a year ago
One of the best things about being in San Diego twice a year (apart from the zoo... and seeing the family of course) is its proximity to the Mexican border and to Tijuana. Mexico's second largest city is home to a breathtaking variety of restaurants at all price points, from...
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.
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #10
Major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue to create long queues of traffic.
This is a queue...
4 weeks ago
Major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue to create long queues of traffic.
This is a queue of traffic moving very slowly in brief bursts towards the end of Bow Road. On this particular day the back of the queue was around Bus Stop M although often it goes a lot further....
diamond geezer
Wordle #13724
WORDLE #13724
ENACT
FIGHT
TOUGH
WIDTH
MIRTH
ABOUT
5 months ago
WORDLE #13724
ENACT
FIGHT
TOUGH
WIDTH
MIRTH
ABOUT
diamond geezer
Postcards from Norwich
Postcards from Norwich
✉ Goldsmith Street
five years ago it went to council housing in Norwich....
2 months ago
Postcards from Norwich
✉ Goldsmith Street
five years ago it went to council housing in Norwich. They could have built flats but instead they packed 105 energy-efficient houses into a handful of dense terraced streets, aligned east-west to maximise solar gain. Extra-thick walls...
diamond geezer
Fenchurch Street
FENCHURCH
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
FENCHURCH STREET STATION
Group:...
4 months ago
FENCHURCH
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
FENCHURCH STREET STATION
Group: British Railways
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £25
Annual passengers: 10 million
Borough: City of London
Postcode: EC3
Fenchurch Street was between 1923 and 1948. It's a small and mostly...
Londonist
Greater London To Get First New Borough In 60 Years
Live in Berkshire? You might soon be a Londoner!
8 months ago
Live in Berkshire? You might soon be a Londoner!
Spoon & Tamago
Make Daily Life Comical With Manga Sound Effects
These acrylic manga sound effects are the perfect item to introduce some comical playfulness into...
a year ago
These acrylic manga sound effects are the perfect item to introduce some comical playfulness into your room or office. Need to drop off a stack of documents for your coworker to review? The ドーン sound effect accentuates the weight and intimidation of the pile. Want to show off you...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 22-28 January 2024
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
10 months ago
The best Londonist articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
The London Overground line names post
The phased introduction of six new Overground line names has begun.
Before we get into all that,...
a month ago
The phased introduction of six new Overground line names has begun.
Before we get into all that, let's get the new names out of the way.
we did all that back then.
First important thing: If anyone posts any line name comments on any future post, I will shift them back to...
Londonist
London Hat Walk: Scores Of Fashionable Folk Will Parade Around Town This Weekend
Hat's the way uh-huh, uh-huh...
8 months ago
Hat's the way uh-huh, uh-huh...
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
V&A East - Brand New Museum Opening In 2025 Announces Its First Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
a year ago
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
The Forney Flyer
Flood Relief Flying
You may remember that I mentioned in a previous blog post a few weeks ago, that there had been...
over a year ago
You may remember that I mentioned in a previous blog post a few weeks ago, that there had been severe floods in Western Uganda (and other parts of the country) in early-mid May. Well, several weeks later, we were given special permission by various authorities to fly relief...
diamond geezer
24 things to see in SE24
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 24 (because N tops out at N22). Come with...
11 months ago
Only one London postcode area reaches the heady heights of 24 (because N tops out at N22). Come with me to Herne Hill SE24.
24 things to see in SE24
1) Visit Brockwell Park
finest parks perfectly plonked on a small hill with commanding views across much of central London. It...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Local Baker’s Top Picks to Maine’s Best Winter Adventures
4 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of the Inn at Mattei's Tavern in Los Olivos, California
a year ago
Londonist
Dive Into This Astoundingly Detailed Illustration Of Somerset House
Adam Dant is at it again.
9 months ago
Adam Dant is at it again.
Londonist
West End Tickets From £15 - London Theatre Week Has Launched
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
10 months ago
Slashed price seats available till 3 March.
diamond geezer
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
High Streets
My High Streets post got a lot of attention over the weekend.
How many High Streets are there in...
6 months ago
My High Streets post got a lot of attention over the weekend.
How many High Streets are there in London?
Twitter and got 20 more comments.
Hacker News, the behemoth American syndicator, and got 80 more comments.
diamond geezer.
a) not realising the significance of capital...
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.
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...
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...
diamond geezer
Canary Wharf 25
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail...
3 months ago
Today is Canary Wharf station's 25th birthday. Not the DLR station (that's 33) nor the Crossrail station (that's 2) but the Jubilee line station which opened mid-afternoon on Friday 17th September 1999.
The relentless commercialisation of Canary Wharf station
"Twenty banks of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why you should visit Story Parlor in Asheville, NC
11 months ago
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
a year ago
And neighbouring Los Pocillos too.
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...
diamond geezer
A quiz
Mystery quiz
Suggestions and answers in the comments box please.
one suggestion and one guess each,...
a year ago
Mystery quiz
Suggestions and answers in the comments box please.
one suggestion and one guess each, thanks.
1) aftermaths
2) arrow
3) banter
4) braindamaged
5) cheering
6) commensuration
7) condor
8) dance
9) eely
10) embryo
11) feline
12) genial
13) hamlet
14) hearing
15)...
Londonist
In Pictures: Vintage London Palladium Programmes
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
a year ago
Robert Opie shares his collection with us.
Londonist
London's Working Class History Celebrated With 8 Exciting New Projects
Historic England announces new funding.
10 months ago
Historic England announces new funding.
Londonist
Halloween 2023: Parties, Events And Things To Do In London
Get your spook on.
a year ago
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.
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...
diamond geezer
BL1
London's Free Buses
BL1: Bedfont Lakes - Feltham
BL2: Bedfont Lakes - Hatton Cross
Length of...
2 months ago
London's Free Buses
BL1: Bedfont Lakes - Feltham
BL2: Bedfont Lakes - Hatton Cross
Length of journey: 2 miles, 12 minutes
It's a strange place, a 1990s commercial development built across former gravel pits, originally with IBM as the lead tenant. It's a bit like Stockley Park...
Londonist
15 Things You Never Knew About Wembley Park
Steeped in history.
a year ago
Londonist
70+ Spectacular Things To Do In London This Month: September 2023
Open House London! Plus a new music festival, fashion exhibitions, pole dancing, and sheep on the...
a year ago
Open House London! Plus a new music festival, fashion exhibitions, pole dancing, and sheep on the loose.
diamond geezer
Bletchley to Bedford for £1
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale...
6 months ago
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale line, a minor branch line which has been suffering from an embarrassing lack of rolling stock recently. It was supposed to be operated by three converted District line trains -...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Five Great Places to Visit on Your Next Vacation to Florida
8 months ago
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...
Londonist
Croydon Plans Spectacular Mic Drop For Borough Of Culture Closing Weekend
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
9 months ago
Light shows, punk marble runs and the world's smallest nightclub.
diamond geezer
Crisp packet colours
As you probably know, BBC local radio is currently engaged in rapid strategic contraction in an...
a year ago
As you probably know, BBC local radio is currently engaged in rapid strategic contraction in an attempt to save money. Dozens of much-loved programmes are being withdrawn, especially those broadcast in the evenings and at weekends, in favour of syndicated regional content...
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...
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...
Londonist
The Big Issue Seller Outside St Paul's Who Became An Icon Of The Occupy Protests
A very different Christmas play for you to watch this festive season.
a year ago
A very different Christmas play for you to watch this festive season.
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Excursions With Afar and Atlas Ocean Voyages
6 months ago
diamond geezer
Marlborough Street
MARLBOROUGH
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
MARLBOROUGH STREET
Colour group:...
6 months ago
MARLBOROUGH
STREET
£160
London's Monopoly Streets
MARLBOROUGH STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price: £180
Rent: £14
Length: 300m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
Great Marlborough Street. To understand why, remember that the orange set of properties were originally all...
Spoon & Tamago
New Rent-Free Apartments Aspire to Support Budding Manga Artists
a rendering of Manga Apartment VUY, for which occupancy will begin in March 2025 For many years, a...
4 months ago
a rendering of Manga Apartment VUY, for which occupancy will begin in March 2025 For many years, a model has existed in Japan in which subsidized housing supports manga artists who are early in their career and have not yet established an audience. One of the earliest was the...
diamond geezer
The circular tube map
Is there no limit to the number of tube map variants?
It prioritises the Circle line whose...
10 months ago
Is there no limit to the number of tube map variants?
It prioritises the Circle line whose traditional loop has been manipulated into a perfect circle, but it distorts the hell out of all the other tube lines. Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus are on opposite sides of the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
NYC-Based Cocktail Bar, Death & Co, Opens D.C. Location
a year ago
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 25 September-1 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
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...
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
Spoon & Tamago
An Ethereal Bubble Emerges from a Japanese Townhouse in New Art Installation by MAD Architects
photos by Osamu Nakamura In Niigata prefecture’s Murono Village, a surreal scene has unfolded…or...
5 months ago
photos by Osamu Nakamura In Niigata prefecture’s Murono Village, a surreal scene has unfolded…or should I say, inflated? From the rear of an abandoned townhouse a colossal, semi-transparent bubble has emerged, immediately transforming the quiet village into what could easily be...
Cheese and Biscuits
40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey
40 Maltby Street sits alongside places like Quality Chop House and the French House in that special...
over a year ago
40 Maltby Street sits alongside places like Quality Chop House and the French House in that special category of restaurants used as a kind of shorthand amongst food-obsessed types in order to prove they know what they're talking about. Like Quality Chop House and the French...
diamond geezer
Lincoln's Inn
Two big Open House openings on opposite sides of Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Open House: Lincoln's...
a year ago
Two big Open House openings on opposite sides of Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Open House: Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn is the largest occupying 11 acres on the eastern side of Lincoln's Inn Fields (which was named after it, not the other way round). It's been here for at least 600...
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Most Exciting Travel Destinations in the U.S. to Visit
a year ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Nessa, Soho
Looking over the confidently international menu at Nessa the other evening, it occurred to me that...
a year ago
Looking over the confidently international menu at Nessa the other evening, it occurred to me that it's been a while since I've had a moan about anywhere being 'inauthentic'. For all the years that we British were insecure about our place in the culinary world, and those years...
Spoon & Tamago
The Unforgettable Landscapes of Ippan Nakamura’s World of Illustrations
All images courtesy of Nakamura Ippan | used with permission Nakamura Ippan, a non-binary artist...
a year ago
All images courtesy of Nakamura Ippan | used with permission Nakamura Ippan, a non-binary artist known for their web comic series ‘Jimocoro‘ and ‘Minna no Gohan‘, held their first solo exhibition last month in Tokyo. Art enthusiasts had the opportunity to witness Nakamura’s...
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 167
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
167: Ilford to Loughton
Quadrant: London northeast
Length of journey: 8 miles, 50 minutes
Because it's 16th July I've been out riding the 167, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Let's hit the Home Counties.
167 extends far enough to properly enter...
Londonist
The Passion Of Jesus: Free Play Returns To Trafalgar Square On Good Friday 2024
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
9 months ago
Crowds of 20,000 expected to watch a cast of 100.
Londonist
Regent's Park Is Getting A New Garden Dedicated To The Late Queen
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
11 months ago
Two-acre space will open in 2026.
Londonist
Join The Race To Help Beat Childhood Cancer On A Family-Friendly Fun Run
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
a year ago
RBC Race for the Kids returns.
diamond geezer
Gaps between Easters
You've probably noticed that Easter Day moves around a lot. Yes, it can fall on any date between...
8 months ago
You've probably noticed that Easter Day moves around a lot. Yes, it can fall on any date between 22nd March and 25th April, but it never seems to end up on the same weekend it did last year. And indeed it never can.
Let's take a look at how the date jumps around during the...
Londonist
Ever Spotted Covent Garden's Anne Frank Tree?
An arboreal memorial.
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Tomona Matsukawa’s Realistic Paintings Reconstruct Fragments of Everyday Life
“Morning will come and my feelings will ease a little” (2024), Oil on linen mounted on panel...
8 months ago
“Morning will come and my feelings will ease a little” (2024), Oil on linen mounted on panel Kyoto-based artist Tomona Matsukawa creates realistic and somewhat dramatic oil paintings that are each inspired by conversations with other women of her generation, often strangers. The...
Londonist
Inside South London's Pay-What-You-Can Cafe
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
8 months ago
South Norwood Community Kitchen.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Ways to Get Outside at Iberostar Hotels, Dominican Republic
a year ago
Londonist
Get A First Look At The New King Charles Banknotes At This New Exhibition
Find out what the future of money will be.
11 months ago
Find out what the future of money will be.
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
The Ghosts Of Oxford Street: The Ultimate London Christmas Film?
Part musical, part 'secrets of', part who-knows-what.
a year ago
Part musical, part 'secrets of', part who-knows-what.
Londonist
Save The Chewing Gum Art Trail On The Millennium Bridge
Ben Wilson's art is threatened.
a year ago
Ben Wilson's art is threatened.
Londonist
Rumble In The Jungle Rematch Arrives In London
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
a year ago
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
Londonist
25 Cheap Ways For Young People To See Culture In London
All the best discounts.
9 months ago
diamond geezer
Route 59
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles,...
9 months ago
Route 59: Smithfield to Streatham Hill
Location: London south, inner
Length of bus journey: 6 miles, 55 minutes
It's traditional around every birthday that I take a numerically significant bus journey. Seventeen years ago I took the 42 to Dulwich, then subsequently the 43 to...
Londonist
Doctor Who TARDIS And Sculpture Appear On South Bank
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
a year ago
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
diamond geezer
Vine Street
VINE
STREET
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
VINE STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price:...
5 months ago
VINE
STREET
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
VINE STREET
Colour group: orange
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £16
Length: 40m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: W1
In this year-long feature my aim has been to write just over 1000 words about each of the properties on the Monopoly...
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
Gorgeous Shots Of The Thames In New Riverside Photography Book
London's Riverside in Photographs, by Franco Pfaller.
10 months ago
London's Riverside in Photographs, by Franco Pfaller.
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.
Spoon & Tamago
Demographics Professor Warns that by 2531, Everyone in Japan Will be Named Sato
image courtesy Mainichi Shimbun Despite today’s date, this is not an April Fool’s prank. At a press...
8 months ago
image courtesy Mainichi Shimbun Despite today’s date, this is not an April Fool’s prank. At a press conference in Tokyo last weekend, professor Hiroshi Yoshida from the Tohoku University Research Center for Aged Economy and Society, sounded the alarm bell for a looming crisis. By...
diamond geezer
Wembley Brook
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor...
a year ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor enough that I'd never heard of it before squinting more closely at a map of Wembley. This may be because the brook only spends a mile on the surface and spends the rest of its...
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.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Travel to Costal Germany's Historical UNESCO Sites
7 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Travel Itinerary Exploring the Roman Empire in Germany
6 months ago
diamond geezer
The Wrythe
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a...
7 months ago
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a significant part of Sutton. Essentially it's North Carshalton but has had a separate identity since medieval times, actual residents since Victorian times and today forms a...
Londonist
Those Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides Through London Parks Are Back For Winter
The mane event.
a year ago
Londonist
The Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Drives Into London This Week
Merry fizz-mas!
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Satoshi Odagiri Creates One-of-a-Kind Organic Mobiles from Found Material
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday...
9 months ago
Located in the wilderness of of Hanno City (Saitama), about an hour outside of Tokyo, is Saturday Factory, a design studio founded by Satoshi Odagiri in 2015. Inspired by the surrounding forests, rivers and wildflowers, Odagiri creates balancing mobiles that incorporate materials...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Embark on island-hopping adventures and explore ancient wineries in Croatia
10 months ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Chungdam, Soho
I generally try and avoid focusing too much on service on invited meals. If the front of house know...
a year ago
I generally try and avoid focusing too much on service on invited meals. If the front of house know you're in to review they usually try and be that extra bit more attentive, and occasionally too much so, and either way it's rarely an accurate reflection of the average punter's...