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diamond geezer
Haringey NEWS Haringey South southernmost point in the borough of Haringey. Which is this pub on the Seven...
18 hours ago
2
18 hours ago
Haringey South southernmost point in the borough of Haringey. Which is this pub on the Seven Sisters Road. Finsbury Park station is 50 metres away. The southern tip of Haringey is a properly busy spot, a staggered crossroads between a mainline station and a massive park gate....
AFAR Media - Travel...
What to Do in Park City This Summer
2 days ago
diamond geezer
What's the best thing TfL ever did? What's the best thing TfL ever did? anniversary poster series highlights several major achievements...
2 days ago
3
2 days ago
What's the best thing TfL ever did? anniversary poster series highlights several major achievements across the last 25 years, but they haven't released one for each year, not yet anyway. So I had a go at selecting annual highlights. 2000  Tramlink 2001  Bus Saver...
AFAR Media - Travel...
9 Can’t-Miss Summer Events in Park City
3 days ago
diamond geezer
TfL 25 Happy Birthday to TfL, who are 25 years old today. Celebrations started in January with a panoply...
4 days ago
4
4 days ago
Happy Birthday to TfL, who are 25 years old today. Celebrations started in January with a panoply of posters highlighting past successes, also scattered silver roundels reminding Londoners that Every Journey Matters. But the actual birthday is today, a founding date shared...
Cheese and Biscuits
Studio Gauthier, Fitzrovia Hard as it may be to believe from my supremely easy-going and liberal attitude these days (no...
6 days ago
10
6 days ago
Hard as it may be to believe from my supremely easy-going and liberal attitude these days (no laughing at the back), there was a time when I was, well, if not completely anti-vegan then certainly vegan-skeptic. To someone who once considered vegetarianism radically restrictive,...
diamond geezer
A London loop A Nice Walk: A London Loop (6 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too...
6 days ago
5
6 days ago
A Nice Walk: A London Loop (6 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, leafy shade, river valleys, wildlife-adjacent, pretty views, a bit of heritage, a bit of a stroll, won't take all day. So here's a scenic loop some distance from the centre of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Way to See Northern Lights in Norway
a week ago
diamond geezer
The news from Havering The news from Havering (black holes, Schrodinger's bus and thatched rabbits) roundabout in north...
a week ago
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a week ago
The news from Havering (black holes, Schrodinger's bus and thatched rabbits) roundabout in north Havering has closed to traffic for 12 weeks. It is an almighty constriction. Gallows Corner flyover can be strengthened, even made safe for HGVs, safeguarding it for the next 60...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Wellness and Outdoor Fun in Telluride This Summer
2 weeks ago
diamond geezer
Thames Ditton One Stop Beyond: Thames Ditton In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
2 weeks ago
9
2 weeks ago
One Stop Beyond: Thames Ditton 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 Thames Ditton, one stop beyond Surbiton on the Hampton Court line. Obviously it's beside the Thames, in this case...
AFAR Media - Travel...
3-Day Sonoma Valley Itinerary Featuring Sonoma-Cutrer Wines
2 weeks ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Uncle Hon's BBQ, Hackney Wick After traipsing halfway across London, dodging travel works and closed Overground lines and...
2 weeks ago
14
2 weeks ago
After traipsing halfway across London, dodging travel works and closed Overground lines and carriages with malfunctioning air conditioning and all the other things that make moving around this city on a weekend in the summer such an endless joy, it's equally annoying to find that...
diamond geezer
All the stations I have been to all the stations in London. It's a lot of stations. I'm including tube, DLR,...
2 weeks ago
156
2 weeks ago
I have been to all the stations in London. It's a lot of stations. I'm including tube, DLR, Overground, Crossrail and all National Rail services, even trams, and that's why it's quite so many stations. Also when I say 'been to' I mean properly used, not just passed through on...
AFAR Media - Travel...
There's More to Telluride Than Trails and Ski Lifts
2 weeks ago
diamond geezer
Sounds Of The Late 60s Observation: The music played on Sounds of the 70s on Radio 2 isn't what it was when Johnnie Walker...
2 weeks ago
157
2 weeks ago
Observation: The music played on Sounds of the 70s on Radio 2 isn't what it was when Johnnie Walker was in the chair. Hunch: Bob Harris is playing older, gutarrier records. Hypothesis: He plays more records from the first half of the 1970s than the second half. Research: I...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Hike, Bike, and Relax in San Luis Obispo
3 weeks ago
diamond geezer
I've been to see some art I've been to see some art. Serpentine Galleries Giuseppe Penone: Thoughts in the Roots (until 7...
3 weeks ago
13
3 weeks ago
I've been to see some art. Serpentine Galleries Giuseppe Penone: Thoughts in the Roots (until 7 September) [exhibition guide] Arpita Singh: Remembering (until 27 July) Serpentine Pavilion 2025 by Marina Tabassum (until 26 September) medical capsule, much enlarged, chopped up...
AFAR Media - Travel...
6 Cultural Experiences at World of Hyatt Properties
3 weeks ago
diamond geezer
Bakerloop and beyond In April 2024 Sadiq Khan proposed introducing an express 'Bakerloop' bus route in lieu of a Bakerloo...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
In April 2024 Sadiq Khan proposed introducing an express 'Bakerloop' bus route in lieu of a Bakerloo line extension. It was part of a proposed doubling of the Superloop network. BL1: Waterloo → Elephant & Castle → Burgess Park → Old Kent Road → New Cross Gate → Lewisham January...
Spoon & Tamago
RIP Kimiko Nishimoto: Japan’s Most-Creative Obachan We were saddened to learn that Kimiko Nishimoto, known for absurdist self-portraits, passed away on...
3 weeks ago
13
3 weeks ago
We were saddened to learn that Kimiko Nishimoto, known for absurdist self-portraits, passed away on June 9, 2025. She was 97. Nishimoto’s creative journey began, unexpectedly, at the age of 72 when she decided to take a photography class. She immediately fell in love with the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
5 Bucket-List Luxury Trip Ideas
3 weeks ago
diamond geezer
carpe Solis When June comes round a heck of a lot of events happen. Temperatures are up, daylight's almost at...
3 weeks ago
9
3 weeks ago
When June comes round a heck of a lot of events happen. Temperatures are up, daylight's almost at its max, the sun should be out and it pays to make the most of these optimum conditions. Some pencil in July or August, but an awful lot of diary organisers flick no further than...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Afar Insider’s Guide to Detroit
a month ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Norbert's, East Dulwich They're like the buses, these rotisserie places. You wait years for a decent, affordable spit-roast...
a month ago
15
a month ago
They're like the buses, these rotisserie places. You wait years for a decent, affordable spit-roast chicken in the capital, and then two come along at once. one in Holborn closed (where I would go at least once every couple of weeks back in the day), then Kentish Town, then...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Sandals Resorts Are More Than Just an All-Inclusive Stay
a month ago
diamond geezer
Merstham One Stop Beyond: Merstham In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
a month ago
10
a month ago
One Stop Beyond: Merstham 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 Merstham, one stop beyond Coulsdon South on the Brighton line. For positioning purposes it lies at the foot of the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
How This Resort Is Redefining Dining in the Caribbean
a month ago
diamond geezer
New TfL walking maps TfL have issued two new maps based on that perennial question, is it better to walk? Both were...
a month ago
11
a month ago
TfL have issued two new maps based on that perennial question, is it better to walk? Both were released as part of National Walking Month. Mr MapGrump @mrmapgrump They've knocked up a West End map and a City map rather than attempting to sprawl across all of central London...
Spoon & Tamago
The Machu Picchu of Japan—and Other Sites that Compare Themselves to World-Famous Destinations See the World Without Ever Leaving Japan There are several remote corners of Japan that have been...
a month ago
104
a month ago
See the World Without Ever Leaving Japan There are several remote corners of Japan that have been comparing themselves to world-famous tourist destinations. Whether it’s out of pride, a bid to attract tourists, or just a good sense of humor, their reasons vary. But that’s not to...
diamond geezer
V&A East Storehouse This is Blythe House, a monumental Edwardian office block round the back of the Olympia exhibition...
a month ago
10
a month ago
This is Blythe House, a monumental Edwardian office block round the back of the Olympia exhibition centre. Swindon, the British Museum are off to Reading and the V&A shifted their repository to the Olympic Park... opening yesterday. New in E20: V&A East Storehouse Location:...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Explore Minnesota's Best LGBTQ+ Spots and Music Venues
a month ago
diamond geezer
Great West Road 100 One of west London's most important roads is 100 years old today, the Brentford By-Pass or as it's...
a month ago
14
a month ago
One of west London's most important roads is 100 years old today, the Brentford By-Pass or as it's better known the Great West Road. Hounslow council are making a big thing of it. The new dual carriageway swept through fields and parkland to the north of Brentford and...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Knave of Clubs, Shoreditch I wouldn't normally feel comfortable sticking a score on a place after sampling just 2 dishes from a...
a month ago
15
a month ago
I wouldn't normally feel comfortable sticking a score on a place after sampling just 2 dishes from a menu, but I will make an exception for the Knave of Clubs for two reasons. Firstly, they have put the rotisserie "centre stage" at one end of the large dining room and that is...
diamond geezer
Switch on to Capitalcard Back in January I spotted an original 40 year-old poster at Leytonstone station. "I hope someone...
a month ago
10
a month ago
Back in January I spotted an original 40 year-old poster at Leytonstone station. "I hope someone preserves it," I wrote, and what do you know they have! It now has a secure glass frame across the front and also one of the London Transport Museum's blue heritage posters...
Spoon & Tamago
For the Next Month, Osaka will Transform into a Public Art Museum As the Osaka Expo draws the world’s attention to Osaka, the city is poised to add an additional...
a month ago
7
a month ago
As the Osaka Expo draws the world’s attention to Osaka, the city is poised to add an additional attraction. Between May 28 and June 24, Osaka Art & Design 2025 (OAD2025) will run parallel to the Expo, transforming the city’s urban space into a public art museum. The event, which...
diamond geezer
Bonesgate Stream THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON Bonesgate Stream Malden Rushett → Chessington → Tolworth (4...
a month ago
12
a month ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON Bonesgate Stream Malden Rushett → Chessington → Tolworth (4 miles) Bonesgate Stream is the river which drains this elongated extrusion, from a field in sight of Chessington World of Adventures to a rewilded channel on the Watersedge Estate. Most of it...
AFAR Media - Travel...
8 Ways to Enjoy the Great Outdoors in Telluride
a month ago
Cheese and Biscuits
The Parakeet, Kentish Town I'm going to start this post about the Parakeet, with - unfortunately (for them, and possibly for...
a month ago
16
a month ago
I'm going to start this post about the Parakeet, with - unfortunately (for them, and possibly for you) - a bit of a rant. Why is it that no matter how much money has been lavished on a place, no matter how starry the chefs, how extensive the wine list, how exclusive the whisky...
diamond geezer
Untold I went out yesterday morning, inspired by something I'd read, and visited somewhere on the other...
a month ago
13
a month ago
I went out yesterday morning, inspired by something I'd read, and visited somewhere on the other side of London. When I got there I had a quick look round and took some photos. And I haven't told anyone else about it. One thing about living by yourself is that there's nobody...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best BVI Hotels for Couples, Families, and Groups
a month ago
diamond geezer
London's three fare scales Ever since contactless travel became the norm, people have got used to swanning round London without...
a month ago
12
a month ago
Ever since contactless travel became the norm, people have got used to swanning round London without knowing what their journey costs. Swipe, travel, swipe, and somewhere around four the next morning your bank balance is adjusted by the requisite total. The capital's fare system...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Enjoy an Intimate Cruise for Seamless Peak Seasonal Travel
a month ago
Cheese and Biscuits
7 Floor Malaysia Tea Room, Holborn In a world of sprawling Mercato Metropolitanos, Market Halls and Arcade Food Halls, the miniscule...
a month ago
26
a month ago
In a world of sprawling Mercato Metropolitanos, Market Halls and Arcade Food Halls, the miniscule Holborn Food Hub is a reminder that food courts come in all shapes and sizes. I'm sure they had very good reasons for filling a space the size of a mobile phone repair shop with...
diamond geezer
All the Overgrounds How long would it take to ride all the Overground lines? I gave it a go, and I started in the...
a month ago
17
a month ago
How long would it take to ride all the Overground lines? I gave it a go, and I started in the obvious place. Intermission two members of staff on duty, one sweeping the platforms and the other holed up in his kiosk in case any situation transpired that required his...
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)...
a month ago
9
a month 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...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Must-Visit Lakes and Rivers in Appalachia
a month ago
diamond geezer
Jurassic Coast 2 Jurassic Coast (part 2) Colmer's Hill (50.74°N, 2.79°W) Colmer's Hill. Stand in the town's main...
a month ago
17
a month ago
Jurassic Coast (part 2) Colmer's Hill (50.74°N, 2.79°W) Colmer's Hill. Stand in the town's main street and its summit is perfectly framed on the near horizon, a silhouette so simplistic it's what a child would draw. Get closer and it looks even better. The hill is an uplift...
Cheese and Biscuits
Whole Beast, Blackhorse Road and The Friendly, San Diego Earlier this month I was lucky enough to eat probably the best burger I've ever had in my life. It...
a month ago
23
a month ago
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to eat probably the best burger I've ever had in my life. It was a smash burger, cooked quickly on a flat-top to a good crust, placed inside a toasted sweet bun and dressed with little more than deli cheese. And before I get accused of being...
diamond geezer
A wedding is a long time in the making A wedding is a long time in the making. A decade in the making, all the way back to the winter of...
a month ago
19
a month ago
A wedding is a long time in the making. A decade in the making, all the way back to the winter of 2015 when the bride and groom first met. Their academic studies had taken them to the same corner of the country but not to the same city, in one case a last minute decision when...
AFAR Media - Travel...
West Virginia Summer Road Trip Guide
a month ago
Herbert Lui
Optimism vs. delusion Making the choice to be optimistic is always worth it, especially when it’s the more difficult...
a month ago
21
a month ago
Making the choice to be optimistic is always worth it, especially when it’s the more difficult decision to make. As Bob Iger, who leads Disney, puts it, optimism is the ability to focus on what matters—steering your team towards the best possible outcome, and moving forward in...
diamond geezer
On holiday I don't know if you've noticed but I'm on holiday this week. I don't normally go away on holiday so...
a month ago
14
a month ago
I don't know if you've noticed but I'm on holiday this week. I don't normally go away on holiday so you might have got used to me always being around. But I'm not around at the moment, I am very much away from home, so what you've been reading recently are a number of posts I...
Herbert Lui
Define your work What do you do? Who do you do it for? Why? Answering these questions, and others like them, is hard...
a month ago
19
a month ago
What do you do? Who do you do it for? Why? Answering these questions, and others like them, is hard work. It can also feel painful, because you commit to being labelled. Even though you contain multitudes, you’re making a decision: you will be known for one thing, for now and in...
diamond geezer
VE Day - 80 years of peace VE Day 1945-2025: eighty years of peace 1946 Greece civil...
a month ago
23
a month ago
VE Day 1945-2025: eighty years of peace 1946 Greece civil war 1600001947 India independence 8000001948 Madagascar independence 150001949 China civil war 10000001950 Korea Korean War 3000000 1951 Malaysia civil...
Herbert Lui
Participate, even if you’re not prepared In an ideal world, you’d be prepared for everything you want to participate in. That’s not realistic...
a month ago
18
a month ago
In an ideal world, you’d be prepared for everything you want to participate in. That’s not realistic though. New opportunities pop up all the time. It can feel tempting to want more time to prepare for all of it. What tends to happen is you don’t have energy to, or you’re not...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Disney Is the Best Alaska Cruise for Families
a month ago
diamond geezer
The bluebell scale The bluebell photo scale 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Score not awarded.
a month ago
Herbert Lui
You meet ten people… Two will like you. There is potential to become best friends. Seven will feel indifferent towards...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
Two will like you. There is potential to become best friends. Seven will feel indifferent towards you. You will become acquaintances at best. One will dislike you. At best, you will both treat each other with civility. You can’t please everyone. Sometimes—perhaps many times—in...
diamond geezer
Roding Valley If you want to use the least used tube station, from today you're semi-buggered. You probably...
2 months ago
15
2 months ago
If you want to use the least used tube station, from today you're semi-buggered. You probably don't, it is the least used tube station after all, but the Londoners who live nearby are being inconvenienced even more than normal. RODING VALLEY STATION: From Tuesday 6 May until...
Spoon & Tamago
This Wrapping Paper Turns All Your Presents into Bread At first glance, these wrapped objects see like freshly bakes loaves straight from the bakery. With...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
At first glance, these wrapped objects see like freshly bakes loaves straight from the bakery. With toasty brown hues, signature flour dusting, and even hand-scored patterns mimicking artisanal baguettes, this genius wrapping paper turns all your gifts into bread. Conceived by...
Herbert Lui
Customer satisfaction builds momentum A business delivers a good product or service to a customer. A satisfied customer tells other people...
2 months ago
16
2 months ago
A business delivers a good product or service to a customer. A satisfied customer tells other people about the business. Those people find the business and become customers. As the years go by, the business builds enough of a reputation and customer base to sustain itself. If we...
diamond geezer
Square days Today is 5.5.25, a square day. It's also the second time a square day has been a bank...
2 months ago
14
2 months ago
Today is 5.5.25, a square day. It's also the second time a square day has been a bank holiday. 1.1.01 (Monday) century ending with a double-zero year. The reason for this is that there was no year 0, the first century starting in AD 1 and running until AD 100. Thus every...
Herbert Lui
Style = best traits + taste + flair In her book Executive Style, Judith Price covers a lot of really cool offices from the 1970s—think...
2 months ago
12
2 months ago
In her book Executive Style, Judith Price covers a lot of really cool offices from the 1970s—think Diane Von Furstenberg, Estée Lauder, Malcolm Forbes. What won me over was this paragraph in her introduction: Style isn’t something you’re born with or something you acquire when...
diamond geezer
Unhidden London UNHIDDEN LONDON - Knightsbridge Step into secret parts of the underground network! An exclusive...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
UNHIDDEN LONDON - Knightsbridge Step into secret parts of the underground network! An exclusive behind the scenes tour exploring time-capsule corridors unseen by the travelling public for decades. For many years the London Transport Museum has run guided tours of secret...
Herbert Lui
Practicing Most days, I write and I don’t think about it much. Some days, I write and it doesn’t come out as...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
Most days, I write and I don’t think about it much. Some days, I write and it doesn’t come out as nice as I’d like for it to. I publish it anyway, though I wonder if I hit a plateau. It makes me reconsider this whole practice. Maybe this isn’t helping me write better. Maybe...
diamond geezer
IKEA Oxford Circus Central London now has an IKEA, right beside Oxford Circus where Top Shop used to be. It opened on...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
Central London now has an IKEA, right beside Oxford Circus where Top Shop used to be. It opened on Thursday, a balloon-infested occasion attended by the Mayor because he's very keen to see Oxford Street full of successful businesses again. It brings the number of IKEA stores in...
Herbert Lui
Getting rich One path to getting rich looks more like saving money. While your friends buy the fancier options,...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
One path to getting rich looks more like saving money. While your friends buy the fancier options, you don’t. You’re not broke, you’re living within your means and taking steps toward richness. Maybe you used to borrow from the future, and now you’ve given that inclination up....
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Places to Eat in Detroit, per Chef Javier Bardauil
2 months ago
diamond geezer
St Andrew's/Jubilee Square 45 45 Squared 15) ST ANDREW'S SQUARE, KT6 Borough of Kingston, 100m×60m Surbiton, the quintessential...
2 months ago
12
2 months ago
45 45 Squared 15) ST ANDREW'S SQUARE, KT6 Borough of Kingston, 100m×60m Surbiton, the quintessential Surrey suburb, although it's no longer in Surrey and the etymology of 'suburb' and 'Surbiton' are entirely separate. As is so often the case the town owes its existence to the...
Cheese and Biscuits
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton I'm sure the Manoir (as I will call it for this post) can impress whatever the weather, but when the...
2 months ago
16
2 months ago
I'm sure the Manoir (as I will call it for this post) can impress whatever the weather, but when the early summer sun is shining, and punters are welcomed into the gardens for their aperitifs and/or digestifs, the place is surely at its best. When you've got gardens like these,...
Herbert Lui
Your own project You should always have at least one project, or a performance, that you can complete with no...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
You should always have at least one project, or a performance, that you can complete with no meetings, no bosses, and no external accountability. Just you doing something for yourself, where you don’t need to explain yourself at all, or need to make money doing. If it resonates...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in April 2025 30 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in April 2025 1) There are no current plans to shorten...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
30 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in April 2025 1) There are no current plans to shorten route SL7 to allow for more stops, including Feltham (which is bypassed by the longest gap between stops on a TfL bus route). 2) There are a total of 1928 ULEZ signs. 3)...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Rapper Ty Farris on Detroit’s Best Food and Music Spots
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
Two quotes about fans and enthusiasm “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know,” the cliché goes. (Not one of the quotes.)  If you’re...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
“It’s not what you know. It’s who you know,” the cliché goes. (Not one of the quotes.)  If you’re doing creative work—visual art, writing, music, entrepreneurship, programming, design, amongst the many other forms of expression—it’s entirely about who you know and who knows you. ...
diamond geezer
Unblogged April 30 unblogged things I did in April Tue 1: I still had no broadband at the start of the month, so my...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in April Tue 1: I still had no broadband at the start of the month, so my original plan for an April Fool's Day post had to go unimagined. Thankfully I'd already knocked up my monthly FoI round-up before the connection died on Saturday, so a fictional...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Explore Sonoma’s French-Style Wineries and Eats
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
Making the money vs. collecting it Chris Rock asked a young comic what he did that day. “Nothing,” the young comic said. “But I’m going...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
Chris Rock asked a young comic what he did that day. “Nothing,” the young comic said. “But I’m going to do a set tonight.”  “You make money during the day. You collect it at night,” Chris responded. “During the day is where the money is made.” There’s a writing lesson here: While...
diamond geezer
How to get to Stansted Airport Need to get from London to Stansted Airport? A new player has entered the market and it's very...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
Need to get from London to Stansted Airport? A new player has entered the market and it's very green. Flibco, a Luxembourg-based company taking its first steps in the UK. They operate to airports in Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Spain and 15 other European countries, with the...
Spoon & Tamago
Kodansha Launches ‘Manga Manners’ to Educate Visitors on Japanese Etiquette Kodansha, one of Japan’s leading manga publishers, has launched an innovative campaign titled “MANGA...
2 months ago
15
2 months ago
Kodansha, one of Japan’s leading manga publishers, has launched an innovative campaign titled “MANGA MANNERS” to educate visitors about Japanese etiquette through beloved manga characters. Following the success of a similar initiative at Narita Airport in 2024, this new campaign...
diamond geezer
Chipstead One Stop Beyond: Chipstead In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Chipstead 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 Chipstead, one stop beyond Wooodmansterne on the Tattenham Corner line. For positioning purposes it lies southwest of...
Spoon & Tamago
Goldwin Set to Open Expansive Nature Park in Toyama in 2027 Goldwin, the Japanese outdoor apparel company, has unveiled plans for an ambitious new project: the...
2 months ago
15
2 months ago
Goldwin, the Japanese outdoor apparel company, has unveiled plans for an ambitious new project: the Play Earth Park Naturing Forest. Set to open in the summer of 2027, this expansive nature-themed facility will be located in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, the birthplace of...
diamond geezer
Myddelton House bluebells In late April the seasons move on from pink to blue, from blossom to bells. These then are the...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
In late April the seasons move on from pink to blue, from blossom to bells. These then are the weekends for a bluebell stroll, a rare treat before the flowers fade and summer greens overwhelm all. Myddelton House Gardens in Enfield, so when I found myself nearby yesterday I...
Herbert Lui
Cash covers things up Money makes it easy for people to lie to themselves, and to other people. None of the entrepreneurs...
2 months ago
30
2 months ago
Money makes it easy for people to lie to themselves, and to other people. None of the entrepreneurs who started Theranos, Nikola, Fast, Juicero, and WeWork would have gotten very far with what they were doing if they didn’t raise cash from investors. Cash can cover up all sorts...
diamond geezer
London's escalatoriest stations London's escalatoriest stations an FoI request last week which revealed all. We learnt that 89...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
London's escalatoriest stations an FoI request last week which revealed all. We learnt that 89 stations maintained by London Underground have escalators, and we learned how many there are at each. Here's the Top 10. 1) BANK/MONUMENT (35 escalators) Also a lot of them are...
Herbert Lui
Memory, reliability, trust, and confidence People need time to learn. You and I are constantly in the role of a teacher, and in the role of a...
2 months ago
26
2 months ago
People need time to learn. You and I are constantly in the role of a teacher, and in the role of a student. A teacher might go over a set of facts, an example, or a standard operating process once. That isn’t enough. Knowledge transfer happens over time, with application and...
diamond geezer
A crossword, by George ACROSS             DOWN
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
Talking myself away from the fear of being seen Some people who have a lot to offer the internet feel too much doubt to write and publish it. Ashley...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
Some people who have a lot to offer the internet feel too much doubt to write and publish it. Ashley Willis wrote a great post about this. Even though I publish here every day, I identify with this group of people. I’ve written for over 1,000 days now. Sometimes, for me, it feels...
diamond geezer
Wallington Square 45 45 Squared 14) WALLINGTON SQUARE, SM6 Borough of Sutton, 130m Wallington, a town halfway between...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
45 45 Squared 14) WALLINGTON SQUARE, SM6 Borough of Sutton, 130m Wallington, a town halfway between Sutton and Croydon which once had its own town hall. Today's square lies just across the road, bang opposite David Weir's gold postbox, and has changed a fair bit over the years....
Herbert Lui
A new way of thinking One way to think about writing is to offer a new way of thinking about a subject.  You’re inviting...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
One way to think about writing is to offer a new way of thinking about a subject.  You’re inviting someone over to your window to see the same topic, from your perspective. You’ve told yourself new stories in order to do what you need to do, and sharing these stories might help...
diamond geezer
The longest possible gap between Bank Holiday Mondays Hurrah it's a Bank Holiday Monday today. n.b. I'm now going to explore whether this is true, Bank...
2 months ago
37
2 months ago
Hurrah it's a Bank Holiday Monday today. n.b. I'm now going to explore whether this is true, Bank Holiday Mondays are the touchpoints of the English spring and summer, a key time to get out and explore, to hit the beach or the DIY store, a stately home or a garden centre, deep...
Herbert Lui
You learn to swim by swimming… Which means you need to get off dry land, and get in the water.  You’ll need a teacher. They work...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
Which means you need to get off dry land, and get in the water.  You’ll need a teacher. They work best with you in the water too. It’s gonna be scary at first. It’s gonna be wet. You’ll need to rinse after. That’s what it takes to learn to swim. (Applies to everything else too.)...
diamond geezer
Nowhere Easter This is the Easternmost station in London, which is Upminster. Crazy Beat Records, the Easternmost...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
This is the Easternmost station in London, which is Upminster. Crazy Beat Records, the Easternmost Iceland and the Easternmost library. If you're looking for vinyl, frozen party food or a classic hardback, there's nowhere Easter. Cranham. 2020 when McColls sold up and the...
Herbert Lui
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional” A couple of months ago, I caught up with a good friend on the phone. An opening came up for me to...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
A couple of months ago, I caught up with a good friend on the phone. An opening came up for me to recommend Derek Sivers’s book, Useful Not True, and so I did. I chatted with my friend again, a couple of days ago, and he told me the book resonated with him. Particularly, he...
diamond geezer
10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 1) Burford Spur Box Hill, the one I keep coming back to, the...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 1) Burford Spur Box Hill, the one I keep coming back to, the route with the great views where you get the knackering bit done up front. It kicks off at Burford Bridge by the hotel and the bikers cafe, i.e. all the facilities, then slips...
Herbert Lui
What the jellyfish knows: A compilation Do most people get stuck with their creative work because they didn’t create momentum? Or do most...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
Do most people get stuck with their creative work because they didn’t create momentum? Or do most people create momentum, but need more time to think out a breakthrough idea? Which direction sounds more correct to you? To me, it’s very clear the first direction applies to more...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Whale Watching and Adventure on This Québec Road Trip
2 months ago
diamond geezer
South Croxted Road bus shelter This may be the heritage-nerdiest bus stop in London. It's the bus stop at the end of South...
2 months ago
31
2 months ago
This may be the heritage-nerdiest bus stop in London. It's the bus stop at the end of South Croxted Road, close to the foot of Gipsy Hill. It's very old, it's locally listed and it's served by buses on route 3. More to the point it has an incredibly detailed information board...
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 Outdoor Adventures to Try in Western Québec
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
My new Q&A video practice When I ran my editorial studio, business leaders asked me lots of questions. I wrote notes and...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
When I ran my editorial studio, business leaders asked me lots of questions. I wrote notes and jotted these questions down. A few months ago, I pulled all of these questions together into one document, just so I could see what themes emerged.  In the spirit of “Publish, don’t...
diamond geezer
Down the country lane Down the country lane Scraped-out ditch Speed limit begins Table of eggs for sale Footbridge...
2 months ago
23
2 months ago
Down the country lane Scraped-out ditch Speed limit begins Table of eggs for sale Footbridge to the paddocks Customers for the swimming pool White sofa on the first floor landing Workmen making the garage habitable Nosey neighbour walking repeatedly past Once we're home...
Herbert Lui
Don’t let AI determine your intentions Intention is the determination to do a specific thing, or act in a specific way. When you’re being...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
Intention is the determination to do a specific thing, or act in a specific way. When you’re being intentional, and deliberate, you are taking the first step to exercising your will into the world. Everybody else might accept what’s happening, but you won’t. At its finest, AI...
diamond geezer
The Square 45 45 Squared 13) THE SQUARE, UB7 Borough of Hillingdon, 40m entire village is pencilled in for...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
45 45 Squared 13) THE SQUARE, UB7 Borough of Hillingdon, 40m entire village is pencilled in for demolition, every last building, because we're just outside Heathrow Airport and a Third Runway is coming. Longford, a key staging point on the old route to the West Country. It's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why the Restored Hotel del Coronado Feels Like a Movie Set
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
The jellyfish knows how to survive uncertain times A lion’s mane jellyfish can release up to 45,000 eggs per day. The jellyfish’s strategy is to lay as...
2 months ago
106
2 months ago
A lion’s mane jellyfish can release up to 45,000 eggs per day. The jellyfish’s strategy is to lay as many eggs as possible and leave them to fend for themselves. Most of these eggs don’t survive, probably fewer than 0.1%. In ecology, this approach is known as a high reproduction...
diamond geezer
The £5 pint I saw this poster outside a bar in Hackney. I can do a very rough check of beer prices in London...
2 months ago
23
2 months ago
I saw this poster outside a bar in Hackney. I can do a very rough check of beer prices in London by scrolling back through this blog. • At the 2012 Olympics a pint of lager cost £4.80. 2016 I cringed when a bottle of Becks cost £5.25. 2019 a pint of lager cost £5.95 and I...
Herbert Lui
From research to imagination You remember a fragment of a song that sounds like it’s from the eighties. You do some research, but...
2 months ago
19
2 months ago
You remember a fragment of a song that sounds like it’s from the eighties. You do some research, but you struggle to remember where you heard it, and when. Your guesses are more imagination than recall. No hints come to mind.  When this happened to Questlove, he was stumped. He...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #20 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete, indeed were completed five weeks ago apart...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete, indeed were completed five weeks ago apart from the opening of the contraflow beneath the flyover. Now it seems this filter lane won't be opening until later in 2025 while TfL "complete more works to protect the structure,"...
Herbert Lui
Writers and readers as co-creators When you read a comic strip or a graphic novel, your eyes move from one panel to the next. What...
2 months ago
35
2 months ago
When you read a comic strip or a graphic novel, your eyes move from one panel to the next. What happens in between the panels? Your brain filled in the gaps. You participated in a co-creation process.  An experienced author or artist knows to intentionally create these spaces in...
diamond geezer
It was nearly Easter Sunday today It was nearly Easter Sunday today. Easter, as you may know, is the first Sunday after the full moon...
2 months ago
33
2 months ago
It was nearly Easter Sunday today. Easter, as you may know, is the first Sunday after the full moon after the spring equinox. First Council of Nicaea set the rules for determining the date of Easter. spring equinox was always on 21st March, even when it wasn't. 2019 it made four...
Herbert Lui
Whose task is this? Is it a child’s task to study? Or is it a parent’s task to get them to study? “There is a simple way...
2 months ago
23
2 months ago
Is it a child’s task to study? Or is it a parent’s task to get them to study? “There is a simple way to tell whose task it is. Think, Who ultimately is going to receive the result brought about by the choice that is made?” Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi write in The Courage...
diamond geezer
Stoneleigh One Stop Beyond: Stoneleigh In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
23
2 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Stoneleigh 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 Stoneleigh, one stop beyond Worcester Park on the line between Wimbledon and Epsom. For positioning purposes it's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Under-the-Radar Madrid Neighborhoods for Tapas
2 months ago
Herbert Lui
One step at a time In my 20s, I spent my working hours at different gigs—running my editorial studio Wonder Shuttle,...
2 months ago
23
2 months ago
In my 20s, I spent my working hours at different gigs—running my editorial studio Wonder Shuttle, doing Prologue, writing at Medium, and a bunch of other cool projects. I had found or created a lot of opportunities, and I gave in to my ambition to pursue all of them. I was...
diamond geezer
Trinity Church Square 45 45 Squared 12) TRINITY CHURCH SQUARE, SE1 Borough of Southwark, 75m×60m garden square fronted by...
2 months ago
35
2 months ago
45 45 Squared 12) TRINITY CHURCH SQUARE, SE1 Borough of Southwark, 75m×60m garden square fronted by Georgian terraces, although you can't go in the garden unless you're a resident because it's one of those. Trinity Church Square lies just off Borough High Street, and is accessed...
Herbert Lui
“Why is this important to me?” When you know why you’re doing what you want to do, you do it better.  You can prioritize clearly,...
2 months ago
26
2 months ago
When you know why you’re doing what you want to do, you do it better.  You can prioritize clearly, adapt when you need, and endure the inevitable setbacks. More importantly, you’ll know when you’re heading in the right direction. This sense of clarity doesn’t just magically...
diamond geezer
Housekeeping Broadband update Abbreviated version: Hurrah, my broadband finally started working again yesterday...
2 months ago
105
2 months ago
Broadband update Abbreviated version: Hurrah, my broadband finally started working again yesterday afternoon. I had eleven days without. What happened: A couple of Saturdays ago a fibre optic cabre somewhere in Mile End failed. Before dawn on Monday Openreach sent an engineer...
Herbert Lui
The privilege and point of writing  Last weekend, my good friend showed me how I could train an LLM to write blog posts just like me....
2 months ago
30
2 months ago
Last weekend, my good friend showed me how I could train an LLM to write blog posts just like me. The LLM generously assessed my voice and tone (which made me feel understood!), and then spat out a blog post that could’ve been a first draft for me. While I felt curious about it,...
diamond geezer
Flickr +20 Twenty years ago today I posted my first photo to Flickr. I'd been to Lewisham for the day as part...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
Twenty years ago today I posted my first photo to Flickr. I'd been to Lewisham for the day as part of my Random Borough project and thought you deserved to see 13 of the better pictures in greater-than-microscopic size. For my inaugural upload I picked the ever-photogenic Laban...
Herbert Lui
Do you borrow from your future to pay for the present and past? A ponzi scheme takes place when the schemer uses cash from later investors to pay returns to early...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
A ponzi scheme takes place when the schemer uses cash from later investors to pay returns to early investors.  My friend Peter makes the case that when an entrepreneur borrows from their business’s future to pay off present and past obligations, they are operating it like a ponzi...
diamond geezer
Route 129 Route 129: Lewisham to Gallions Reach Location: London southeast, crossriver Length of bus journey:...
2 months ago
32
2 months ago
Route 129: Lewisham to Gallions Reach Location: London southeast, crossriver Length of bus journey: 9 miles, 70 minutes 129 has been searching for a purpose ever since it was introduced as a stumpy three mile route in 2006. The original idea was to connect the new Millennium...
Herbert Lui
Why you feel lost, what to do next The story of The Courage to Be Disliked is told mostly in dialogue, between a student and a...
2 months ago
28
2 months ago
The story of The Courage to Be Disliked is told mostly in dialogue, between a student and a philosopher. Spoiler alert: While the student starts off opposing the philosopher, hellbent on proving the philosopher and their school of thinking—Adlerian psychology—wrong, he starts to...
diamond geezer
The Silvertown Tunnel opens The Silvertown Tunnel opened this morning. comments if(postComments['199122220152314'] !=...
2 months ago
22
2 months ago
The Silvertown Tunnel opened this morning. comments if(postComments['199122220152314'] != null){document.write(' (' + postComments['199122220152314'] + ')')}else{document.write(' p(0)')}; (I'm only interested if the answer is 'Yes') I have also had the entire top deck to...
Herbert Lui
Commit first, plan later My former colleague at Figma, Claire Butler, recently wrote a really great post about what she...
3 months ago
20
3 months ago
My former colleague at Figma, Claire Butler, recently wrote a really great post about what she learned working at Figma. The lesson that stood out to me most was this one, “When you’re stuck, commit to action. Strategy will follow.”  In other words, if you’re making something...
diamond geezer
Dover to Deal Dover to Deal (10 miles) Dover is a town most people pass through, a swirl of traffic converging...
3 months ago
29
3 months ago
Dover to Deal (10 miles) Dover is a town most people pass through, a swirl of traffic converging on a mighty seaport, but also a historic town in its own right primed for national defence. I was merely passing through, launching off through the more ordinary side of town where...
Herbert Lui
How replaceable is your work? If you drive for Uber, you work in a software supply chain. The software facilitates a bunch of...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
If you drive for Uber, you work in a software supply chain. The software facilitates a bunch of people’s requests for the service, and decides when you—the driver—get to do a ride. The only reason you’re driving is because Uber’s software can’t drive the car itself yet. The...
diamond geezer
What you missed Some of the places I've been since my broadband disappeared a week ago BestMate's sofa: 45 minutes...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
Some of the places I've been since my broadband disappeared a week ago BestMate's sofa: 45 minutes of proper broadband and I managed to catch up on all sorts of things, including adding the photos and links to Unblogged March which was previously bereft. Bank: I'm always amazed...
AFAR Media - Travel...
What Makes Disney the Best Family Cruise in Alaska
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
Professionalism and pressure The person who holds the world record for basketball free throws shot over 2,000 consecutive baskets...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
The person who holds the world record for basketball free throws shot over 2,000 consecutive baskets in a row. But if you put them in a stadium and a tight score between the teams, they might not have been able to shoot two. The main difference between playing basketball in a rec...
diamond geezer
Broadband update After waking up yesterday I checked my router in case my broadband had restarted overnight. Still...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
After waking up yesterday I checked my router in case my broadband had restarted overnight. Still red, so no. "We wanted you to know that the fault you reported to us is now fixed. Please turn your router off and on, and your service should be fully...
Herbert Lui
Progress ebbs and flows This was a lesson one of my bosses shared with me: most people don’t improve consistently every...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
This was a lesson one of my bosses shared with me: most people don’t improve consistently every quarter. Instead, progress ebbs and flows.  Sometimes—maybe many times—you might feel like you’re going through a plateau. Many other people would quit. If you remain confident you’re...
diamond geezer
SL4, Stopping Lots When the Silvertown Tunnel opens next week, one thing the Mayor will enthuse about is the new...
3 months ago
91
3 months ago
When the Silvertown Tunnel opens next week, one thing the Mayor will enthuse about is the new Superloop bus route running through it. People like the Superloop, they know it gets them places fast, so no doubt they'll be enthused too. But the new SL4 isn't going to be as super as...
Herbert Lui
Top of mind My partner, my cat, and I once missed a connecting flight due to a luggage hiccup. The staff got us...
3 months ago
38
3 months ago
My partner, my cat, and I once missed a connecting flight due to a luggage hiccup. The staff got us replacement tickets for another flight 12 hours later. Maybe we could catch an earlier flight if there was space, they said. That was a possibility we were eager to explore. So I...
diamond geezer
Estimated fix time Estimated fix time: Tue 01/04/2025 at 19:00 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
Estimated fix time: Tue 01/04/2025 at 19:00 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix date at the moment. Please check again later. then Estimated fix time: Mon 31/03/2025 at 02:34 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix date at the moment. Please check...
Herbert Lui
Don’t fight back, fight forward with forgiveness A restaurateur speaks up publicly for what he thinks is right. The people who think he’s wrong take...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
A restaurateur speaks up publicly for what he thinks is right. The people who think he’s wrong take action. They vandalize his restaurant. Glass is shattered. Mirrors broken. Furniture destroyed. He had invited his father to town to dine at the restaurant. That can’t happen now...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in March 2025 25 things we (genuinely) learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) Only two refurbished Central...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
25 things we (genuinely) learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) Only two refurbished Central line trains have so far entered service. Three more are planned to enter service by January 2026. The overall programme is planned to complete in 2029. 2) Seat cushions on...
Herbert Lui
Letting go of the scene I live in downtown NYC. I wouldn’t consider FiDi a particularly cool neighborhood. Geographically...
3 months ago
22
3 months ago
I live in downtown NYC. I wouldn’t consider FiDi a particularly cool neighborhood. Geographically speaking, I could probably be further from the scene—I’m not in the burbs!—but socially speaking, I haven’t broken in. To be honest, I could not be less interested.  Yes, there is...
diamond geezer
Unblogged March 31 unblogged things I did in March Sat 1: The world is still reverberating after Trump and Vance...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in March Sat 1: The world is still reverberating after Trump and Vance admonished Zelensky in the White House yesterday, and you can sense that 2025 is going to be a turning point in geopolitical history but not in a good way. Sun 2: Fish and Ships, the...
Herbert Lui
AI and living tutorials A couple of years ago, I published a post on how I thought AI would disrupt writing, editing, and...
3 months ago
21
3 months ago
A couple of years ago, I published a post on how I thought AI would disrupt writing, editing, and marketing. I wrote, “The notion that people won’t get replaced with A.I., but people who work with A.I., rings true in each of these fields.” One reason this happens is because AI...
diamond geezer
Annoyance I got home yesterday after watching the eclipse, put the kettle on and opened up my laptop. No...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
I got home yesterday after watching the eclipse, put the kettle on and opened up my laptop. No internet. Well that's annoying, I thought. My BT Hub was displaying the dreaded red ring of doom, a bit like an eclipse in itself, and rebooting it didn't help. OK that's more...
Spoon & Tamago
The Ultra-Narrow Rakuragu Hotel Offers a Stylish Stay in Central Tokyo This 9-story Rakuragu hotel rises from an ultra-narrow site in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. If...
3 months ago
29
3 months ago
This 9-story Rakuragu hotel rises from an ultra-narrow site in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. If it’s nightlife you’re in search of, this hotel may not be right for you but if you’re looking for understated stylishness and rare outdoor space, this is a gem of a hotel. With...
Herbert Lui
Micro-meditations When you make just a few seconds of space between stimulus and response, you create an option to...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
When you make just a few seconds of space between stimulus and response, you create an option to respond intentionally. Imagine closing your eyes for as little as 15 to 30 seconds. Questlove calls this a micro-meditation, describing it in his book Creative Quest, “In some way, if...
diamond geezer
Balgores Square 45 45 Squared 11) BALGORES SQUARE, RM2 Borough of Havering, 110m×30m Romford Garden Suburb was the...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
45 45 Squared 11) BALGORES SQUARE, RM2 Borough of Havering, 110m×30m Romford Garden Suburb was the brainchild of Liberal politician Herbert Raphael who in 1909 offered up his estate at Gidea Hall "to provide families with a well-built, modern home regardless of class or status"....
Herbert Lui
Contentions: Apple TV’s billion dollar loss There’s a possibility that Apple is losing over $1 billion per year on Apple TV. The so-called...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
There’s a possibility that Apple is losing over $1 billion per year on Apple TV. The so-called “loss” is plausible, it’s also a rather ordinarily-sized expense considering Apple’s relatively high scale other marketing expenses. Consider this: Another report suggests that Apple...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Scotland’s Best Eco-Luxury Hotels and Sustainable Adventures
3 months ago
diamond geezer
March 2025 eclipse Tomorrow is partial solar eclipse day, peaking at 11:03am in London. The eclipse will be visible...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
Tomorrow is partial solar eclipse day, peaking at 11:03am in London. The eclipse will be visible across northwest Europe, peaking in eastern Canada where 92% of the solar disc will be obscured. In London it's 31%. Nova Scotia 80%, Reykjavik 68%, Stornoway 47%, Glasgow 42%,...
Spoon & Tamago
Tomoko Kubo is Embroidering the Entire Hiragana Lettering System Illustrator and embroidery artist Tomoko Kubo has embarked on an epic linguistic journey of...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
Illustrator and embroidery artist Tomoko Kubo has embarked on an epic linguistic journey of embroidering all 46 characters in the hiragana lettering system. Each piece is carefully designed so that within each character are individually embroidered images that depict foods,...
Herbert Lui
Kinetic and energeial living Kinetic life is focused on reaching a destination. You harness your drive to complete a journey. In...
3 months ago
35
3 months ago
Kinetic life is focused on reaching a destination. You harness your drive to complete a journey. In this way of life, it naturally makes sense to find the shortest possible route and take it. Imagine it like a commute. If you were to choose between an express train and a local...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Duke, Henley It's coming up on a year since I was last in this part of the world, when I had a very lovely lunch...
3 months ago
29
3 months ago
It's coming up on a year since I was last in this part of the world, when I had a very lovely lunch in the sun at Dominic Chapman, then a brand new restaurant in the Relais hotel on the banks of the Thames. Strolling around town before lunch last week I was pleased to see he was...
diamond geezer
Route R6 RIP London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of...
3 months ago
29
3 months ago
London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of journey: 4 miles, 25 minutes 347, 118 and 414 have already been extinguished and at the end of this week it's time for the R6 to join them at the big terminus in the sky. You won't...
Herbert Lui
The time will pass anyway There’s something meaningful that you want to do. The only problem is it’s going to take a long time...
3 months ago
36
3 months ago
There’s something meaningful that you want to do. The only problem is it’s going to take a long time to do it. Maybe it’s schooling of some sort, or chipping away at a big project. Yes, it’s going to take a time horizon of years, maybe even decades. The time will pass anyway,...
diamond geezer
Unchosen Overground line names Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names which were under consideration for the six Overground lines. I'm not sure how much much of the list is behind his Substack paywall so what follows is abbreviated from someone else's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
UnCruise's Best Small-Ship Cruises & Why Travelers Love Them
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
Surrender, control, and anxiety What do you think you’re in control of?  What’s not in your control?  Where do you decide to draw...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
What do you think you’re in control of?  What’s not in your control?  Where do you decide to draw the line? “You are afraid of surrender because you don’t want to lose control,” Elizabeth Gilbert writes (via Oliver Burkeman). “But you never had control; all you had was anxiety.”...
diamond geezer
Denton and Reddish South The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's location it's the timetable, which these days consists of just two trains a week. Between 1992 and 2018 it was only one, so this is an improvement. Saturdays...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea There's no sign of a cost of living crisis on the King's Road, but then the people of Chelsea aren't...
3 months ago
36
3 months ago
There's no sign of a cost of living crisis on the King's Road, but then the people of Chelsea aren't known for their frugality. The Cadogan Arms is a grand old Victorian boozer - which means it has nice high ceilings, stained glass and a big carved wooden bar - but then this is...
Herbert Lui
Putting it out there Brett Goldstein worked as a writer for Ted Lasso. As he worked on the scripts, he realized that he...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
Brett Goldstein worked as a writer for Ted Lasso. As he worked on the scripts, he realized that he really understood one of the characters. He wanted to put himself forward for the acting role.  “I also knew no one was thinking of me for Roy, so right at the end of the writers’...
diamond geezer
Stockport Gadabout: STOCKPORT Stockport is a former textile town on the Lancashire/Cheshire border, since...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
Gadabout: STOCKPORT Stockport is a former textile town on the Lancashire/Cheshire border, since swallowed up by Greater Manchester. Of the ten metropolitan boroughs it's the southeasternmost. Previously I'd only ever seen it from the train while crossing the lofty viaduct over...
Herbert Lui
A place for feelings that interfere “Did you ever tap into something that you feel is bad in you to win?” That’s a question Donald...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
“Did you ever tap into something that you feel is bad in you to win?” That’s a question Donald Glover asks in this interview, before confessing that he made one of his most popular songs because he felt a drive to prove somebody wrong. In response, LeBron James says that he not...
diamond geezer
Covid signage five years on Five years ago PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street and told us "You must...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
Five years ago PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street and told us "You must stay at home". All sorts of extraordinary restrictions were subsequently introduced, many of which were conveyed to us in signs and stickers slapped across our immediate environment....
Herbert Lui
Chatter vs. inspiration For many years, whenever my brain had an idea, I felt a compulsion to write it down. What started...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
For many years, whenever my brain had an idea, I felt a compulsion to write it down. What started out as bursts of inspiration slowly—and, eventually, quickly—transformed into a habit driven by anxiety. I didn’t want to let any idea “get away from me.” I felt like if I forgot, I...
diamond geezer
Route 60 Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles,...
3 months ago
31
3 months ago
Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles, 75 minutes It's traditional around every birthday that I take a numerically significant bus journey. Eighteen years ago I took the 42 to Dulwich, then subsequently the 43 to Barnet,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Visit These 10 Malta Filming Locations from TV + Movie Hits
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
Books and lifestyle The Starfield Library in Seoul is a beautiful, vast, library. It reminds me of the short visit I had...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
The Starfield Library in Seoul is a beautiful, vast, library. It reminds me of the short visit I had to Singapore’s library@orchard. It fits in with a pattern I notice in Asia, which is the rise of these incredibly glamorous spaces for books. They’re usually bookstores (I...
diamond geezer
Old Coulsdon (this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like...
3 months ago
36
3 months ago
(this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like entering another world. A quiet well-to-do suburb on a hill, all broad avenues, backlanes and green tendrils reaching out into rolling chalkland on the edge of the North Downs. It's...
AFAR Media - Travel...
8 Restaurants Defining Tucson’s Food Scene Right Now
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
Read your journals like they’re books or articles Yesterday, I left a meeting at work and made dinner plans to meet a friend. I found myself with an...
3 months ago
22
3 months ago
Yesterday, I left a meeting at work and made dinner plans to meet a friend. I found myself with an hour to spare in midtown Manhattan. I kept it simple, though. I decided to go to the restaurant, and they seated me. As I settled in, I remembered that I brought my journal. I...
Cheese and Biscuits
Dastaan, Leeds Three down, one to go. My determination to visit all of the restaurants in this particular...
3 months ago
33
3 months ago
Three down, one to go. My determination to visit all of the restaurants in this particular restaurant mini-chain - because, so far at least, they've all been that damn good - has now taken me to a northern suburb of Leeds and to the Dastaan there. My worry is that all of the...
diamond geezer
Extremities I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can reach with a 60+ Oyster card: CHESHAM market town is a small delight, as I well know because I've been many times but I can go more often now. The joy starts as you rattle off down...
Spoon & Tamago
A Chandelier of 28,000 Eggs and Other Scrumptious Delights Reframe our Consumption of Food The Osaka Expo 2025 kicks off on April 13th. And while we’re excited about some pretty niche things...
3 months ago
42
3 months ago
The Osaka Expo 2025 kicks off on April 13th. And while we’re excited about some pretty niche things like Hello Kitty algae and attendant uniforms, one of Japan’s signature pavilions, Earth Mart, is shaping up to be delightfully delicious. Located within the expo’s Green World...
Herbert Lui
Why Ted Lasso gets away with not knowing anything about football Imagine that you’re an American football coach that is now only going to coach European football...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
Imagine that you’re an American football coach that is now only going to coach European football (better known in the U.S.A. as soccer). And you know absolutely nothing about the sport. So on the pitch of 22 players, the kitman, the assistant coach, you know the least about the...
diamond geezer
the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly difficult. ...and then went pear-shaped when my application ended up on the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand. Day -14 photocard website and set up an account. Simple....
Herbert Lui
Where you work changes how you work My first internship was at Virtual Team Builders, a company that helped companies work remotely. I...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
My first internship was at Virtual Team Builders, a company that helped companies work remotely. I had no idea this was even possible. I would go on to work remotely, or in a hybrid workplace, for most of my career. Working remotely doesn’t necessarily mean working from home....
Cheese and Biscuits
Interlude at Leonardslee, Horsham If there's one thing I've learned after nearly twenty years of writing about food in this country,...
3 months ago
33
3 months ago
If there's one thing I've learned after nearly twenty years of writing about food in this country, it's that fine dining can happen pretty much anywhere. If Ormskirk, an otherwise unremarkable town in Lancashire previously best known as the childhood home of Marianne Faithful...
diamond geezer
Watch Out Children About My apologies that today's main posts were for old people. Watch Out Children About This sign...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
My apologies that today's main posts were for old people. Watch Out Children About This sign appears in Colman Road, Beckton E16. It includes the name G.R.ILEY C.ENG.,M.I.M.E.,M.I.Mun.E.,F.Inst.H.E. » C.ENG. = Chartered Engineer (now normally abbreviated CEng) Institution of...
Herbert Lui
3.15.20 Five years ago, there was precious little to look forward to. And then, all of a sudden, out of...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
Five years ago, there was precious little to look forward to. And then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Donald Glover released his fourth album as Childish Gambino, 3.15.20.  It was surprising, because Donald’s best known for his rollouts. Because the Internet’s rollout was...
diamond geezer
Four Sunday morning markets Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings does it become a mainstream magnet for millennials, the middle classes any anyone in need of maidenhair on their mantelpiece. It pays to arrive early because the action starts at...
Herbert Lui
“Football is life” This is the motto of Dani Rojas, a football player in the TV show Ted Lasso.  It usually comes out...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
This is the motto of Dani Rojas, a football player in the TV show Ted Lasso.  It usually comes out when Dani gets to play football, because he feels really happy. He’ll run around kicking the ball, chanting, “Football is life!” One day, something bad happened to the team. The...
diamond geezer
Double Decker shrinkflation I do like a Double Decker, the Cadbury chocolate bar with a stripe of nougat atop a crispy base....
3 months ago
22
3 months ago
I do like a Double Decker, the Cadbury chocolate bar with a stripe of nougat atop a crispy base. I've liked them ever since they were introduced in 1976, perhaps unsurprisingly given I was an 11 year-old boy who liked both chocolate and buses. If you're feeing nostalgic here's a...
Herbert Lui
20 lessons from 2 years in NYC On one of my first trips to New York City, I visited the NoMad library. It made me feel drunk on...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
On one of my first trips to New York City, I visited the NoMad library. It made me feel drunk on interior design. I quickly developed an affection for the Big Apple, visiting several more times in my 20s. Each trip brought with it a moment of equal delirium. A couple of years...
diamond geezer
The 100 comments challenge The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues from my immediate locality? My local Dry Cleaners is closing on 1st April a small unit beside the barbers. Alas a sign in the window says they're closing down from 1st April...
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 of California’s Best Wellness and Self-Care Experiences
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
A strategy needs time A year ago, my friend Peter decided to position his agency to focus on CPG companies. While he and...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
A year ago, my friend Peter decided to position his agency to focus on CPG companies. While he and his team weren’t sure if the strategy would work, they stuck with it through trying times. Their effort and commitment amidst uncertainty paid off, and they’re seeing more CPG...
diamond geezer
Tredegar Square 45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle of unbroken terraces with a fine garden in the centre. You expect this kind of thing in Bloomsbury or Kensington but not tucked off the Mile End Road behind a wall of council...
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Southern California Road Trip Guide
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
More responsibility, more failure In the 2010s, Amazon launched a phone. It was a spectacular failure. When a journalist asked CEO...
3 months ago
31
3 months ago
In the 2010s, Amazon launched a phone. It was a spectacular failure. When a journalist asked CEO Jeff Bezos about it, Jeff replied, “If you think that’s a big failure, we’re working on much bigger failures right now — and I am not kidding. Some of them are going to make the Fire...
diamond geezer
Hopper fares The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra...
3 months ago
27
3 months ago
The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra journey for free within 60 minutes of tapping in. Two years later it was extended to allow unlimited journeys within an hour, saving Londoners even more money and enabling some...
AFAR Media - Travel...
What to See and Do in California on Your First Visit
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
AI as an answer key One of the first things I learned in high school was that my math textbook had an answer key at the...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
One of the first things I learned in high school was that my math textbook had an answer key at the back.  Which was weird. My impulse was I could shortcut my homework simply by writing the answer key down on a piece of paper. Of course, the teacher required us to show our work...
diamond geezer
Upper East Bromley-by-Bow has a new tower block and unusually it's not along the A12 or the River Lea, it's in...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
Bromley-by-Bow has a new tower block and unusually it's not along the A12 or the River Lea, it's in the historic part. It replaces a drab council block which the local housing association was keen to wipe away, and rightly so, as part of a long-term project to replace Stroudley...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where to Find the Best Restaurants in Minnesota Right Now
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
Notes on fragmented sleep I’m really good at waking up. I’m so good at waking up, in fact, that occasionally I wake up two...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
I’m really good at waking up. I’m so good at waking up, in fact, that occasionally I wake up two hours too early. I used to find it difficult to fall back asleep. When I asked a doctor about this, they told me it was called “fragmented sleep” and there wasn’t that much they could...
diamond geezer
Birthday round-up A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them from people who remember me being born in 1965 (dgD, dGA3, dgDBM). Pictured are some of the 43 cards I received when I was born, all of a very 1960s aesthetic. Number of birthday...
Herbert Lui
Convenience, growth, commitment, and sacredness When a theater shows a movie, it’s not convenient. You need to buy a relatively expensive ticket....
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
When a theater shows a movie, it’s not convenient. You need to buy a relatively expensive ticket. You need to arrive on time. You can’t pause it. There will be a day the theater stops showing it. Movie theaters are not growing—they are in decline. Movie theaters make you do...
diamond geezer
Unblogged March 1965 Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking embryonically ready to make a grand appearance. Even when I did emerge I had no linguistic ability, no long-term memory nor any recognition of what on earth was going on, plus there...
Herbert Lui
Limitations of causal reasoning A few days ago, I wrote about causal and effectual reasoning. You’ll be familiar with these two...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
A few days ago, I wrote about causal and effectual reasoning. You’ll be familiar with these two paths—but having words to describe them really helps.  “When you think with causal reasoning, you focus on what you want to do—the desired end goal, or the destination—and then work...
diamond geezer
60 I have somehow reached the age of 60 and I'm not sure how I feel about that. 60 is a milestone...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
I have somehow reached the age of 60 and I'm not sure how I feel about that. 60 is a milestone age and a proper one for once. 50 was fine, 50 was just a half-century, it didn't mean anything. 40 was merely a number to make the middle-aged feel uncomfortable, nothing tangible...
Herbert Lui
Keep the back up plan a back up plan The future is unpredictable. It’s always great to have an option, maybe two, in case things don’t go...
3 months ago
30
3 months ago
The future is unpredictable. It’s always great to have an option, maybe two, in case things don’t go according to plan. That’s why you’d want to have a backup plan. In my freshman year in university, I made a backup plan that took too much of my energy. According to my plan, I...
diamond geezer
The Mousetrap The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural life, if not for critical acclaim then for sheer persistence, having reliably entertained West End audiences for over 70 years. So when London Theatre Week recently offered cut-price...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Dallas' Best Michelin-Approved Restaurants by Neighborhood
4 months ago
Herbert Lui
Causal and effectual reasoning What makes a person entrepreneurial? Professor Saras D. Sarasvathy believes the distinguishing...
4 months ago
30
4 months ago
What makes a person entrepreneurial? Professor Saras D. Sarasvathy believes the distinguishing factor is in the reasoning process. She identifies two types of reasoning: When you think with causal reasoning, you focus on what you want to do—the desired end goal, or the...
diamond geezer
Five-in-one Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see...
4 months ago
27
4 months ago
Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see normally the bottom of a tidal river because it's covered by a huge amount of water. But at low tides some of the bed appears, at spring tides more appears and at spring tides near...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 Top Michelin-Approved Restaurants in Dallas
4 months ago
Herbert Lui
Don’t let batch processing get in the way of building momentum One of the earliest pieces of productivity advice I came across was the concept of grouping similar...
4 months ago
28
4 months ago
One of the earliest pieces of productivity advice I came across was the concept of grouping similar tasks together, and doing it all in one go. This is known as “batch processing.” For example, if you’re going to read and respond to your emails, don’t do them one at a time...
diamond geezer
Four-in-one Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed...
4 months ago
28
4 months ago
Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed through the railings, obviously, as you'd likely be able to guess even if you hadn't seen the large gap in the fence and the missing hedge. It must have failed to stop at the lights on...
AFAR Media - Travel...
6 Must-See Events in Dallas This Spring and Summer
4 months ago
Herbert Lui
Character, habits, systems, and freedom An author speculates that GLP-1 drugs will curb a lot of people’s impulses. This could potentially...
4 months ago
27
4 months ago
An author speculates that GLP-1 drugs will curb a lot of people’s impulses. This could potentially help a lot of people make better—less impulsive—decisions. In this speculation, one concern will be a division of advantage: the people who can afford the impulse control drugs...
diamond geezer
London's largest square What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not...
4 months ago
29
4 months ago
What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not really the largest square you can fit inside Greater London, only the largest where the sides run north/south and east/west. Twist your square and you can do a lot better. We can...
Herbert Lui
Three conditions to just do stuff (and minimize overthinking) If you have fun writing something, the reader will have fun reading it. You’ve given your work the...
4 months ago
26
4 months ago
If you have fun writing something, the reader will have fun reading it. You’ve given your work the right energy.  Building on this observation, Cassidy Williams notes that sometimes she wants her work to be strategic, or clear and thorough. She writes, “I think a lot of that...
diamond geezer
Compressor Square 45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it...
4 months ago
25
4 months ago
45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it officially exists. Locationwise it's in the Royal Docks immediately adjacent to Royal Albert station, which is renowned as the DLR station furthest away from anyone's home. But had...