As you arrive at Dalston Junction from the West, there’s a graffito to cheer you, high on a whitewashed wall overlooking a little car-park. Its inspiration is a far-too-famous poster of a 60s political icon: it’s a stencil – so it m[…]

NOTES ON RICE: the Swank Way to cook rice is to use exactly the right amount of water and cook for exactly the right amount of time. I sometimes think this is a kind of Top-Chef Showing-Off, and really evolved bcz Top Chefs employ someone else to cle[…]

Ridiculous hyperbole? Check.Sexy fake-mathematical selling points? Check. Hilarious dangling modifiers? Check.
Introducing our exciting NEW laser engraved pen… the INFINITY EXTREME!I’d like to take this opportunity to present the laser-en[…]

Menus intended to be read #193875: I was actually really tired on mon eve, so a. made bad food choices at sistrah becky’s b’day meal at Cafe Spice Namaste (vindalho de porco: too hot and too chewy for my taste), and b. forgot to read the […]

Scenes from My Life as a Bad Teacher: it’s 20 years ago now so don’t expect names. I taught one-on-one for three years, at a place which didn’t mind if the kids failed their exams cz the mums and dads were rich, and just sent them b[…]

Taste the Kettle Difference: in point of fact extensive tests appear to prove that the “Kettle Difference” wd be better termed the “Kettle Same” – some of which may relate back to these important results, of course. Anyw[…]

Someone at work told me they recently encountered Hillegonda, once of fabled Factory erm “avant-funksters” Quando Quango: of course today she is a CultStud academic lecturing in “Dance Theory”…

Which is cool and dandy […]

Reading the list on Tom’s boardgame link to see how many I’d played down the years, I quickly found myself cheating: eg Dover Patrol is just a version of L’Attaque, so that counts as TWO etc. Then I started wondering, are there mayb[…]

Old news for some readers, but just in case you missed it linked elsewhere: tots on pop is failsafe entertainment, of course. Smell-a-rat moment: when Beth asks “Who’s Annie Key?” And I think Ben already writes for Uncut.[…]

The king is gone but not forgotten… : I’ve been busy every night so far, but – such is the power of teenage loyalty down the years – I feel I’m somehow letting him down (or myself, or someone) by not watching.[…]