Author Archives: tikichris

About tikichris

Chris Osburn is the founder, administrator and editor of tikichris. In addition to blogging, he works as a freelance journalist, photographer, consultant and curator.

9 of America’s Most Haunted Hotels … That You Can Stay in! (Miles Away)

If you’re looking for a place to stay on your next spooktacular adventure, why not turn your booking… into a BOO!-king? Continue reading

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Win a Taster Box of Award-Winning Hand Cooked Corkers Crisps

Grown and hand cooked on a family farm in East Anglia, award-winning Corkers crisps are a cut above the standard British crisp. And I’ve got a big box full of them to give away so one lucky tikichris reader can taste the difference for free. Continue reading

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Waka: Nikkei Take Away Takes Off in the City

Waka is a newly opened eatery located near Monument specialising in Nikkei cuisine that’s ready for take away and offered at super competitive price points. Continue reading

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The Eerie Side of New England: Is Massachusetts the Spookiest State in the Union? (Miles Away)

If you’re looking to get spooked in the Bay State then check out our guide to Massachusetts’ historic haunted places you can actually visit. Continue reading

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El Tigre Tacos and Pink Flamingos at Nine Lives

For London Cocktail Week, recently launched yet already smooth sailing London Bridge bar, Nine Lives, shipped in bartender/luchador EL Tigre from his family restaurant, Los Barcos, in Mexico for limited run tacos paired with tequila cocktails. Continue reading

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Graeme of Thrones

Spoiler alert! Graeme of Thrones (a live theatre parody of … well, I’ll let you guess) is a guaranteed guffaw inducing hoot with loads of loving comedy pointed in the direction of its inspiration. Continue reading

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Cook Islands Idyll | I Didn’t Want to Leave

I can’t think of a warmer, friendlier destination than the Cook Islands nor one where I felt so relaxed and at ease. Continue reading

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Hot Pot Restaurant on Wardour Street

A fun and spicy time was had during a recent dinner at Hot Pot on Wardour Street. Continue reading

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Cook Islands Idyll | Aitutaki

For a couple of nights during my Cook Islands Idyll I enjoyed the chilled out serenity of the tiny atoll of Aitutaki. Continue reading

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National Curry Week at Darbaar

National Curry Week is on from 9 to 15 October and among the restaurants celebrating it in London is Darbaar, with Chef Abdul Yaseen creating a range of limited run curry dishes especially for the occasion. Continue reading

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Cook Islands Idyll | Rarotonga

Most of my Cook Islands Idyll was spent splendidly on the “main island” of Rarotonga: an idyllic base indeed for enjoying all the warmth and wonder that a trip to the South Seas should involve. Continue reading

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Can You Say That in Faroese Please?

Can you say please in Faroese? With fewer than 80,000 people speaking Faroese worldwide, and a growing tourism market, folks from the Faroe Islands realise that not having their language included on Google Translate can be frustrating for visitors keen … Continue reading

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Cook Islands Idyll

The Cook Islands is a nation comprised of 15 small islands in the middle of the South Pacific, roughly (or at least most easily described as being) halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. I spent an ideal week discovering this … Continue reading

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Win a Free Copy of 1001 Photographs You Must See Before You Die

Octopus has set aside two copies of 1001 Photographs to share with a couple of tikichris readers for free. It’s a brilliant book for the coffee table and (dare I say it) an excellent idea for a Christmas present. Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place | Epilogue

Cognac (the place) and Cognac (the drink) both represent the best that southwestern France have to offer in terms of dedication to craft and tradition, impeccable taste and a desire to produce the highest quality spirit possible. Continue reading

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More Ways to Stave off Writer’s Block

More Ways to Stave off Writer’s Block Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place | Restaurants

Cognac isn’t just a great place for drink. The town has some amazing restaurants as well. Continue reading

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1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair + Hassan Hajjaj: La Caravane

Returning to London for a fifth year and opening 5 October is 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House. Opening alongside the fair is La Caravane exhibition by British-Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj. Both are definitely worth a looksee. Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place | Bar Luciole

Coolest bar in Cognac? It’s Bar Luciole, a relaxing and pared down venue set near the banks of the Charente River and recently co-launched by drinks industry superstar Tony Conigliaro (Bar Termini, Bar with No Name, and Untitled) and bartending wunderkind Guillaume Le Dorner. Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place | Remy Martin

Over the centuries, Remy Martin has been able to hone its craft, its image and its processes to become one of the biggest producers of Cognac. Continue reading

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Mister Lasagna Opens Across from Victoria Station

Mister Lasagna has launched its fourth outlet, conveniently across the street from Victoria Station. Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place | Les Freres Moine

A father and son business spanning more than 30 years, Les Freres Moine is run from an age-old farmhouse with a small distillery and cellar and vineyards across the countryside of Jarnac, an area about 10k from the city of Cognac that’s renowned for its vineyards and quality of wines and spirits produced there. Continue reading

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The Greek Larder + London Greek Wine Festival

Returning to London for its third consecutive year is the London Greek Wine Festival. Organised by Theodore Kyriakou and the team behind The Greek Larder Restaurant, the celebration will run 13 and 14 October at West Handyside Canopy near King’s Cross Station and maybe a minute’s walk from The Greek Larder. Continue reading

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Cognac: Spirit of Place

Cognac. It’s a drink. It’s a place. It’s an experience to be savoured.

Or at least my summertime visit to the town of Cognac and vineyards sprawling across it nearby countryside was a memorably delicious trip. I was there to become better acquainted with the area’s eponymous spirit and the age-old traditions that have gone into making it such a distinctive drink. Continue reading

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#TCTalks | Episode 4 | Rarotonga

For the fourth episode of tikichris Talks I share some highlights from my September visit to the tiny Polynesian country of the Cook Islands. The episode includes an interview I conducted with master carver Michael Tavioni at his Rarotonga studio, a hymn sung in the language of Cook Island Maori during Sunday morning service at the Cook Islands Christian Church in the village of Titikaveka and the sounds of traditional drumming from a performance at the popular Highland Paradise dinner show in the uplands of Rarotonga. Continue reading

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How to Do Hong Kong for $100 a Day (Miles Away)

Hong Kong is famous for a lot of things. Being an inexpensive city isn’t one of them. Nevertheless, experiencing east-meets-west with big city glitz doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Continue reading

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Yodel for Valais | Index

I hope you had fun too reading about my trip to Valais and that my tales may help you plan your own Alpine adventures. Continue reading

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Miss P’s, BBQ in East Croydon

Deep South BBQ and more in far South London? Miss P’s in Croydon brings it. Continue reading

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Yodel for Valais | Alpine Eats!

Before wrapping up my series about all the fun I had in the Valais, I thought I should take a moment to talk about how well I ate and drank while there. Here’s a taste of the best bites and sips from trip. Continue reading

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Getting Past Writer’s Block

Keeping my mind ready and running when writer’s block hits can be tough. Despite being a writer now for many years, I’m not sure I’ve really figured out how best to get around it. Continue reading

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Yodel for Valais | Jodlerfest 2017

So my reason for being in Valais was to experience Jodlerfest 2017 in the town of Brig. And what an experience it was! Continue reading

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Airlines That Still Offer Free Amenities (Miles Away)

Here’s a look at amenities still offered for free by certain airlines. Continue reading

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Yodel for Valais | Around Aletsch Arena

The Aletsch Arena is a mountain resort area on the German speaking side of Valias (or, Wallis as they say in German). It encompasses three villages: Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp. Due to its outstanding natural beauty, it was the first site in the Alps to receive UNESCO World Heritage status. The big draw here is the Great Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps. Continue reading

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#TCTalks | Episode 3 | #365LDNCafes

Did you ever wonder if it would be possible to visit a different independent café in London for every day of the year? It’s doable – and indeed has been done by Alexandra Kalinowski. I sat down recently with Alexandra for a conversation over coffee about her #365LDNCafes project and more. Continue reading

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Yodel for Valais | Cultural Tour of Champéry

First stop on my way to Jodlerfest was the Val d’Illiez village of Champéry on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil. Continue reading

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