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.

The Basics for Having the Best Time in Bath, England (OneTravel)

A comfortable gateway to England’s rugged West Country and easy excursion from (or chilled out alternative to) London, lovely and compact Bath is an excellent destination for experiencing the best of contemporary Britain coupled with an accessible and superbly preserved … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Shiny Lines

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Win VIP Access to Yelp’s Mad Scientist Soiree at Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch

Exploding cocktails? A GIF Photo Booth? A mini ice cream festival? 600 Mad Scientists? And all for free? Yeah, I’m teaming up with Yelp again to bring more fun your way. This time, I’m helping spread the word about Dr Xander Alexander’s Mad Scientist Soiree. Presented by Yelp and Digital Shoreditch at Strongroom on Tuesday 12 May, it’s totally free and promises to be an absolute hoot. Read on! Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Waterloo

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Le Vie della Zagara: Zestful and Juicy Sicily

I hope you’ve enjoyed this online tour of Sicily’s via Le Vie della Zagara. I certainly had a wonderful time discovering this distinctive destination for myself and sharing the most zestful bits of that journey with you. Continue reading

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DFDS Best Travel Photo Blogger 2015? Thanks!

So, when I posted (and tweeted) about my blog being nominated by DFDS Seaways as a contender for 2015’s Best Travel Photography Blogger I guess some as you paid attention and agreed with DFDS as I just got the word that … Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Ceramic Dynamic Caltagirone

Caltagirone was one of those places where soon into my time there I started wondered about the price of local property. Could I afford to chuck it all in and relocate? How could I make such a transition work – and what kind of work would I even be able to do if I actually did settle there? Such a feeling of immediate attraction to a place often used to overwhelm me when travelling in my 20s and early 30s. It’s a less frequent – but much deeper and more exacting – experience when it hits me these days. No, I don’t think I’ll actually up and move to Caltagirone (and I very much love my life here in London), but that possibility lingers still in my thoughts as I remember it. And I sorely hope I’m don’t have to wait too long to return there for further exploration. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Dalston

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Le Vie della Zagara: Palazzo Adriano

Okay. I’ve covered the citrus side of my Sicilian excursion – with bits about Ciaculli mandarins, Ribera oranges, blood oranges, Interdonato lemons and Syracuse lemons – and now I want to talk about some of the other equally fruitful aspects of my trip. So in the next few posts of my Le Vie della Zagara series I’m going to highlight a handful of the more remarkable sights encountered while touring Sicily. First up is the quaint and scenic mountain village of Palazzo Adriano. Continue reading

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La Vie en Rose Afternoon Tea at the Sofitel London St James

On now and running throughout May is a new floral-inspired La Vie en Rose afternoon tea at the Rose Lounge at the Sofitel London St James hotel. I got a taste of this limited run luxury a couple of weeks back and very much enjoyed it. Here’s a waft of what made it such a treat for me. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Limone di Siracusa

A fertile coastal plain stretching between the mountains and the sea with plenty of sea air and consistent year-round sunlight make conditions right for growing Limone di Siracusa, aka Syracuse lemons – some of the juiciest and zestiest on the market. Such conditions add up to a gorgeous place to visit too. The last of the low hanging PGI fruits picked along my journey across Sicily, here’s why I’m a sucker for the aroma and flavour of this mighty if diminutive squirt! Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: 11 Day Dean Street

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Le Vie della Zagara: When Life Hands You Lemons Make Granita!

One of the zestier episodes during my zip across Sicily’s Le Vie della Zagara was a visit to the seaside town of Alì Terme in the province of Messina. Here and along the Valle del Nisi, aside perhaps from the tourist trade, the locally grown Limone Interdonato is the main draw – whether on its own with a skin so sweet you can eat it raw or transformed into one of many refreshing delicacies at the local bar/pasticceria/gelateria/bomboniere. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Sicily’s Beautiful Blood Oranges

The three varietals of Sicilian blood oranges include the deeply crimson Moro, the Tarocco (a great all rounder and Italy’s most popular orange), and the sweet and succulent Sanguinello. During my time travelling Le Vie della Zagara, I got a taste of all three blood oranges (and more – keep reading!) while visiting two places involved in the production of aranchia rossa: the lavish San Giorgio Estate with its upscale luxury Aranjaya villa and the more pragmatic but nonetheless impressive processing facilities of Pannitteri & C. Both are located in the eastern area of Sicily within the province of Catania and bestowed with jaw-dropper views of smoking and snow-capped Mount Etna. Continue reading

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4 Awesome Travel Ideas for National Bike Month (OneTravel)

Did you know May is National Bike Month? Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and “celebrated in communities from coast to coast” since 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the benefits of bicycling and encourage more people to get on their rides more often. So, why not make the most of it with a scenic ride on your favorite two-wheeler? Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Balanced and Scenic Ribera

The world’s only orange with PDO certification (protected designation of origin, DOP in Italian) grows in Ribera, Sicily. Belonging to the family of yellow navel oranges, it’s not all that different in appearance to any run of the mill orange you’re apt to come across at any supermarket anywhere in the world. But bite into a Ribera or drink some of its juice and what sets it apart becomes clear. It’s a juicy fruit with a balanced ratio of sugars and acids – not too sweet or tart – with a firm and smooth flesh and no seeds. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: A View from Radio Rooftop Bar

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Le Vie della Zagara: Ciaculli and its Anti-Mafia Mandarins

First stop on Le Vie della Zagara was the Palermo suburb of Ciaculli, home of the juicy Mandarino Tardivo di Ciacualli, where land once owned by the Mafia has been confiscated and converted into citrus groves by the locally run Consorzio il Tardivo di Ciaculli. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Way

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Le Vie della Zagara: Experiencing Sicily with Gusto!

Le Vie della Zagara is a new initiative encouraging visitors to Sicily to take at least a little time of their beach bound holiday to explore the island’s surprisingly diverse landscape and enjoy its equally varied bounty of citrus and many more treats along the way. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: In the Urban Countryside

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London Daily Photo: Welcome to Haringey

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London Daily Photo: At the Press Preview

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Walpurgisnacht: When the Witches Celebrate Spring! (OneTravel)

Half way to Halloween and itching for some good natured but kinda creepy fun? Well then, it’s high time you got into the spirit of Walpurgisnacht and welcome spring in an especially witchy way. Walpurgi-what? Walpurgisnacht. Or Wapurgis Night in … Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Morning View

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Give Me Space: Make Room | Save Money | Win Big

Here’s a recap of the posts I’ve written over the past few months while taking SpaceWays for a spin … plus a reminder of the big competition for six months of free storage … and even a discount code for your first time using SpaceWays! I’m really pleased with my SpaceWays experience and am happy to recommend this urban storage service to anyone looking for affordable and convenient solutions for finding some breathing room in the big city. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Fins

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The Ultimate Foodie Safari in Sabi Sabi (City AM)

The streets of Mayfair may seem a world away from the remote South African bush, but for discerning gourmet travellers the metaphorical – if not physical – distance between the two has just become smaller. A new initiative at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve invites some of the world’s top chefs into the kitchen at the area’s renowned Earth Lodge. The partnership was launched in February, with Michelin-starred Eric Chavot making the inaugural visit, taking a week-long break from his eponymous Mayfair brasserie (at The Westbury on Conduit Street) to share his experience with the cooks at Earth Lodge. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: New City Days

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4 Sites to Visit for South Africa’s Freedom Day (OneTravel)

27 April is Freedom Day, a national holiday in South Africa that commemorates the day in 1994 when the first democratic election was held in the country. Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Brixton

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Preview: The Goblin King’s Masquerade Ball 2015

The Goblin King’s Annual Masquerade Ball is a themed costumed ball “of mischief and revelry” exploring the darker side of fantasy through promenade theatre, live music and DJs, cabaret, interactive creatures, puppetry, art installations, goblin markets, hot tubs, “hidden experiences” and loads more surprises in “suitable goblin habitable locations.” Continue reading

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London Daily Photo: Soho

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Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House

There’s a whole lot of photography on view now at Somerset House with the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition with a good assortment of eye catching and poignant works to see. Continue reading

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A Simple Space at Udderbelly Festival: No Frills Just Thrills and Simply Amazing Acrobatic Stunts

Wow! I was blown away at last night’s press preview performance by A Simple Space, a no-frills show direct from Australia which “champions the incredibly artistry of the human body over traditional circus gimmicks.” Continue reading

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