Hey folks! I’ve been dabbling in fiction for the first time in a long time – science fiction to be exact with a twist of fantasy. The result is a story about a monster lurking in the woods and marshes around the east London borough of Waltham Forest. I’ll post the story soon as a limited series here on this blog. So please keep an eye out.
Once upon a time, I used to take a lot of photographs. I mean a lot a lot of photographs. This was the late noughties, a window of transition from film photography to mobile phone photography when the DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera) was considered by most folks to be the best way to capture an image for posterity. This transition turned out to be a short-lived era but one long enough for me to learn how to shoot pretty well with a DSLR and start building a career as a freelance writer and photographer. That career lasted for about 15 years.
Back then, I bounced around to all sorts of events across London with a camera slung round my neck almost like a fashion statement. One of those events was a cook-off competition for charity called NomNomNom.
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A new episode of All Consumed, during which the following occurs:
– Chris raves about a couple of London street food vendors.
– Neil marvels at a couple of upscale London restaurants.
– Both look forward to some upcoming adventures in the US.
Listen now:
Distilled in small batches from sugarcane grown on the Philippine island of Negros Occidental and aged in ex-Bourbon American oak, Don Papa Rum Seven-Year-Old is an excellent rum. With a pronounced vanilla profile and a hint of tropical spice (and maybe some citrus and honey), it’s worth seeking out for its elegant flavour alone. It’s a good value drink as well, with quality rums with similar flavour profiles sometimes costing considerably more in price.
Now with Don Papa’s new limited edition “Eternal Spring in Sugarlandia” gift canister, when you treat yourself and others to this delicious Philippine rum, you also help support key conservation and regeneration efforts on the island Negros Occidental. Known locally as Sugarlandia, Negros Occidental is the home of Don Papa.
€50,000 worth of the proceeds from the purchases of this gorgeous limited edition Don Eco Canister with 70cl bottle of rum will be donated to a number of charities in the Philippines to help with conservation.
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Neil and Chris experience a moment of wonton abandon at the wonderful Poon’s Wontoneria on Charlotte Street. Reveling in the moment, they chat about two individual trips recently taken to Shrewsbury – and how much they both loved this historic market town. In fact, their brief conversation about Shrewsbury could serve as a pretty decent guide for anyone planning a foodie tour of the town – as could Neil’s recs on where to eat elsewhere in Shropshire. Chris raves about the delectable food he enjoyed during his own tour of the beautiful Isle of Man.
All that and much more in this episode of All Consumed!
In the last post for my 2023 Resolution series, I started envisioning the rest of year – and then nothing! It’s been nearly two months since then without any followup or much activity at all on this blog. Time’s slipped away from me. Oops!
Even though I haven’t done much blogging or added any resolution updates in a while, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about this blog and my resolve to do more with it. It’s been on my mind a lot actually.
Neil and Chris catch up at south Indian “village restaurant” Chettinad off Tottenham Court Road to record this episode of All Consumed. After enjoying a delicious meal, Chris talks Luddites and the antiauthoritarian spirit of Nottingham as Neil speaks to the joys of old school dining. Neil does Barbie; Chris does Oppenheimer. A number of other recs on what to see, eat, drink and read are shared, including Neil’s opinion on the best way to spend £28 in London at the moment.The duo ends the show pondering why anyone ever would want to teach their granny to suck eggs.
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After slurping down some of London’s tastiest noodles and munching through a delectable assortment of Japanese treats from the Tonkotsu menu, the trio chat about all sorts of fun stuff they’ve got up to recently.
Emma also reveals some insider restaurant news, including where her next outlets will open and which popular London eateries the team at Tonkotsu is planning to collaborate with.
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Liverpool’s vibrant food scene offers a plethora of options to satisfy your lunchtime cravings. From delightful Italian cuisine to mouthwatering burgers and comforting brunches, the city boasts a diverse range of restaurants catering to all tastes.
In this blog, we will explore some top lunchtime meal deals in Liverpool, featuring popular establishments such as Prezzo, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Brunchin’, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, and ASK Italian. We will also highlight the value of tastecard as a valuable resource for accessing these deals and saving money, ensuring you can enjoy a delightful lunch without breaking the bank.
ZENB is an online plant-based food brand. Its key product is yellow pea pasta – the UK’s first pasta made entirely from yellow peas.
The pasta comes in four familiar shapes – spaghetti, penne, fusilli and macaroni – as well as ZENB’s own Pasta Agile shape with precision-cut surfaces for al dente texture and absorption of flavour from whatever sauces your adding to your pasta dish. ZENB makes their own sauces (with flavours well worth absorbing) as well as a variety of instant noodle style lunch pots called Agile Bowls.
I received a range of ZENB products to sample recently and must admit I was impressed far more than I expected to be.
Here’s the lowdown.
At this affordable Fitzrovia mainstay, the duo chat about recent travels – Thailand for Neil, Suffolk for Chris – as well as where to experience amazing art and eat delicious food right here in London. Chris explains how to ride around London (or anywhere really) on a new e-bike for £50 less than you might otherwise. Neil raves about a feel good film he reckons anyone would enjoy watching.
The result? An enjoyable episode with some solid tips to help you enjoy your summer.
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A few weeks back, I attended a performance of Frank Sinatra’s Songs for Swingin’ Lovers by Stephen Triffitt with the Manhattan Swing Orchestra at Cadogan Hall.
The opportunity to enjoy acclaimed Sinatra tribute artist, Triffitt, work magic with what’s considered by many (including me) to be a masterpiece for both Sinatra and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra in such a world class setting was a sheer delight, particular of the otherwise quiet Sunday evening when I attended the one-night-only event.
Since publishing my Rad Power Bikes referral link post last month, I’ve taken my RadRunner Plus off road a couple of times. It handled the trails well, considerably better than I expected actually, and enabled me the chance to access a few wooded spots for some quiet reflection while communing with nature over lunch.
Walking to these places would have taken too long. Relying on public transport would have only got me half the way there. Driving would have taken about as long or longer than cycling, and I still would have had to figure out where to park – taking even more precious minutes away from my free time.
Buying this e-bike was one of the smartest investments I ever made!
Unlock £50 Savings When You Buy Your First Rad Power Bike
If you’re considering buying an e-bike, I highly recommend Rad Power Bikes. When making your purchase be sure to cut and paste this referral link for a £50 discount off your purchase:
http://rwrd.io/puihn0y?c
It’s been about a month since I checked in with this series, a mostly fun and fairly active few weeks with plenty of blogging. As I said in my last 2023 Resolution post, ‘I’ve got my mojo back.’
I think that still holds true.
1. Rode my bike a lot this weekend;
2. Saw some great art at some local galleries;
3. Work schedule has been reasonable for weeks;
4. Making my own smoothies for breakfast; and
5. New outdoor furniture my partner bought for our deck.
Just about the same time as some renovation work was being completed on my kitchen, an email landed in my inbox with the subject line “Refresh your kitchen with Salter Olea.”
Serendipitous? Possibly. Certainly worth a click.
After scarfing down the cafe’s famous Hamish MacBeth toastie (haggis, bacon, Cheddar, rocket, caramelised onions and mustard), they chew even more fat, mostly raving about great meals they’ve enjoyed recently. Chris shares a few of his favourite bakeries to visit while riding his bike around East London while Neil gives some recommendations for finding iconic road food in Louisiana as well as a couple of excellent places to eat in Texas. They both agree one San Antonio eatery in particular is an ideal stop for its renowned brisket tacos.
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Ever since I started riding my Rad Power Bike, one thing has been clear. People want to know where I got it and how they can get their own. Usually, they don’t even ask if I like it. They just assume that I do. It might be the happy look I have on my face when riding this electric bicycle that gives away my satisfaction and love for it.
If you’re considering buying an e-bike, I highly recommend Rad Power Bikes. When you buy follow this referral link for a £50 discount off your purchase:
http://rwrd.io/puihn0y?c
I own Rad Power Bike’s RadRunner Plus. I’ve had it for about two and a half years. This premium utility electric bike has greatly improved my life.
Listen in on their recommendations for food, drink, art, and film in London, as well as a couple of tips on what to see and where to eat in Leicester and an account on Neil’s recent visit to the number one gastropub in the UK.
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After a couple of especially busy weeks, I find myself with some unexpected free time on a Sunday morning. I reckon this is as good a time as any to pause and reflect and write another post for my 2023 Resolution series.
Halfway through May, I marvel how the year is almost halfway over. Time flies when you’re having fun? I suppose so. But in addition to fun, I’ve dealt with a few struggles and challenges over the past few months. Despite the hiccups and hardships, I’m pleased to report that at this actual moment right now everything is hunky dory.
1. Feeling good about my blogging and podcasting activity;
2. Bagels;
3. Catching up with old friends;
4. The Muppets Mayhem; and
5. Riding my bike.
Chris is glad to chat about a few recent trips he’s taken while Neil just seems content to enjoy some spring weather. Both are giddy with gourmand glee about the reopening of one of their favourite London street food operators and to chew the fat about all sorts of other great stuff consumed in one way or another over the past month or so.
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Last month, I took a quick solo city break in Bilbao – the largest city in the Basque Country and an excellent destination for great food and amazing art. I’d been to Bilbao a couple of times before and fully expect to go back there at least a couple of times again. It’s one of my favourite cities, mostly for the food and art but also for the dynamic street life.
If you enjoy traveling on your own and love urban culture, I can’t recommend a visit here highly enough. I can give a few good reasons for such a strong endorsement though.
So here’s some highlights from my trip for you to consider when planning your own getaway.
Seeing the Lion Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel at Museum Ulm was a thrill. The journey to Ulm made the experience all the more worthwhile.
I reckon the Lion Man is a must-see for anybody keen to experience an overwhelming sense of wonder and fascination. If you can manage to take a gander at it, consider a trip to Ulm. You won’t be disappointed.
But don’t take my word for it.
Hello. It’s been a few weeks since I last logged in to write something for my 2023 Resolution series. I’m not too concerned about the lapse though, because I am actually keeping my resolution, to start blogging regularly again.
A third of the way through the year, I’m seeing real results and making good steady progress. I’m plugging away at writing on a nearly daily basis, and I’m publishing new posts fairly regularly about a variety of topics – with a list of more things I plan to write about in the coming weeks. I’m writing considerably more than I would I would have thought I would be at this stage.
Continuing on from Baden-Baden, the next stop on my trail was Ulm, Germany – home of the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel, the reason for my trip.
Located roughly halfway between Stuttgart and Munich, this small city in the state Baden-Württemberg sits along the Danube River with the state of Bavaria on the other side.
I’m not quite sure how I came up with the idea for this infographic. It just sort of showed up in my mind one morning. But once it was there, I felt compelled to make the graphic and share it. I do know the inspiration for it and for whom I made it: a few dear friends I sincerely hope can use it to cope better with stress and anxiety. I reckon all of us (most certainly me included) could do with some help with stress and anxiety from time to time.
Maybe it will come in handy for you too?
Back on the track of the Lion Man …
From Basel, the next stop on the tour was the historic spa town of Baden-Baden, Germany.
Generally speaking, travelling from Basel to Baden-Baden should have been a piece of cake (black forest gateau if you don’t mind please). However, the ticketed date coincided with a day of national rail strikes, and the Basel to Baden-Baden service was cancelled. Long story short, and luckily enough, my Airbnb host had ample free time and enough entrepreneurial spirit to offer to drive for what I thought was a very reasonable price (especially with such little notice and me with so few affordable options). The rail journey would have taken around an hour and a half; door-to-door service with the Airbnb host was about two hours. I travelled by train a few times after that with no industrial action or any other issues affecting my trip.
Once in Baden-Baden, it was time to relax. And this lovely little city was an ideal setting for just that. Since the days of the Roman Empire folks have been enjoying the geothermal wonders of Baden-Baden. Indeed its name actually translates from German to English as “Baths Baths”.
So, when in Rome …
Welcome back to Tracking the Lion Man, a series of posts about my trip to Switzerland and Germany en route to the city of Ulm to view the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel – a prehistoric sculpture carved out of mammoth tusk.
As mentioned in my introduction to this series, logistics, budget, and a bit of preference gave the Swiss city of Basel an edge when deciding where to commence my trip.
Over the past decade, I’ve visited Basel a few times. Having only ever gone there for work, without deciding venture there independent of obligation, I learned to love it without having developed a strong impression of it beforehand. So I was happy to go back there again. This time with no agenda other than for a couple of days of fun. Similarly, I was glad to be able to show Basel to my partner travelling with me.
Back in 2014, writing about my first visit to Basel, I said that “for a compact destination that’s big on culture, I reckon Basel should be one of your top choices. I was really impressed with just about everything saw and experienced there and would relish any chance to go again.” I’ll stand by that statement nine years later after multiple returns.
Here are a few highlights from my recent time there.
Hey folks. I’m back after a few weeks hiatus from my 2023 Resolution.
For part of that time off, I was traveling. Pertaining to my resolution to start blogging regularly again, my trip served to whet my appetite to continue blogging, reminded me why I used to get so much pleasure of doing it regularly, and even rekindled my love of travel writing.
Have a scroll through the blog and you’ll see I recently started a series called Tracking the Lion Man. It’s about my trip. New ‘Lion Man’ posts should follow soon. I hope you enjoying reading about my experiences.
My break from blogging allowed me a chance to consider how well I’ve done keeping my resolution. Having several days ‘off’ to think about the key takeaways that I listed in my last post proved useful.
I’ve just returned home from a week away in Switzerland and Germany. The reason for the trip was to have an in-person look at the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel – a prehistoric footlong sculpture carved out of mammoth tusk on display in the city of Ulm not far from the cave where it was discovered in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg.
A lovely destination in it’s own right but one without an international airport, Ulm is not a straightforward destination to reach from London. So getting there required a bit of added planning. As far as I could tell, the most logical routes from London seemed to be flying to Memmingen, Stuttgart, Munich, Nuremberg, Zurich or Basel and then catching a train or hiring a car to drive to Ulm.
When considering options for getting there, one route stood out more than others: fly to Basel and then travel by train to checkout at least a couple of other places along the way to Ulm.
Eleven posts in as many weeks with a couple of busy weeks ahead, I thought now would be a good time to pause my 2023 Resolution series and take stock of what I’ve shared thus far.
I’m pretty happy with what I’ve written here and how I’m managed to keep my resolution. Going back over the previous posts, it’s interesting to see how I seem to be giving myself advice that not only applies to my goal to start blogging regularly again but also to attempting to tackle any objective.
So, here’s a recap of this series with a key takeaway from each post alongside a link to each post. I hope you find some value in the ideas expressed and can use them to help accomplish whatever your goals might be.
1. Spring weather;
2. Crossing things off my to-do list;
3. Nice bike ride;
4. Partner home from work early; and
5. Finding a chance to do one of these posts!
Hey! I’m actually having fun working on my 2023 Resolution, and I hope you folks are enjoying reading about my attempts to keep my resolution to start blogging regularly after a long hiatus.
For me, it’s interesting to observe how new ideas emerge from old ones. Maybe for the first time ever as a writer, I feel like I’m putting significant thought into how that process occurs. It seems clear that as I publish more posts in this series I become more aware of how ideas emerge and enter into my writing process. That’s fascinating to see and nice to acknowledge. More so, I’m sticking to my commitment to blog more regularly fairly well, and I’m glad about that. So, all in all, this exercise has been a largely positive experience for me.
But now I’m going to go negative.
