“These Greek vases are classic – in every sense!”
A colleague lured me to the boozer so I missed the Real Actual Opening Fandango but arrived home in time to see the parade get going – British Virgin Islands and their only com[…]

In praise of Apollo Heights — who I’ll be sorta surprised if anyone reading this has heard of, but no matter, that’s why I’m posting it! This week I’ve been indulging in the past four (well, three and a half) albums by […]

RIP Julia Child — I’m not too sure what her reputation outside of America was in the food world, so if others could chime in, but in it, she was hands down the queen when it came to famous chefs. Like many my age, I think I first learned[…]

The Best Pub in London
C’mon, you know I’m right. Say the Mission are playing the Astoria, you’re dressed in black, wearing pointed boots and your arms are jangling with bangles. Need a pre-gig pint of Snakebite and black? Welcome.[…]

Easy Food: number x in a series
This is what I did for tea last night, it is peasy, and also nummy.
Ingredients:
Two Tuna Steaks, one a bit thicker than the other (mrs carsmile likes hers a bit pink, whereas I like mine cooked through, you see)
3 tab[…]

If you overlook its swathes of parkland, London and hot weather really don’t go together at all. The city’s simply too dense, the transport system painfully ill-equipped for the heat, and I have yet to be convinced of the appeal of al fre[…]

ResFest looms once again – along with OneDotZero this is a key event in the medium of artistic digital film, primarily showcasing cutting edge film-making, animation and effects. Needless to say I will be there at the NFT when it happens, glued[…]

CAETANO VELOSO – “London, London”: “A group approach a policeman / He seems so pleased to please them” – Veloso wanders in London, alone, knowing nobody, slightly melancholy but safe. The song drifts like its write[…]

Get a New Life
Last night on BBC, the show featured a couple who’d decided to try emigrating to Oz. They asked the wife what her thoughts were. She said:
“I miss my key people”
WTF? Key people? We call them family and friends here o[…]

Just in case a load of fireworks and O-Lympic flames and daft streamers and confetti and Audley Harrison and stuff have distracted you from paying your usual close attention to goings-on in the Conference, let me reassure you: there is still plenty o[…]