London | Wait until next year

December 23, 2013

Wait Until Next Year Annual Awards 2013

Awarding trophies to captains of winning teams, October 14, 1937

You will have to imagine that this is a star-studded gala, attended by the great and good in all their finery, rather than some hastily cobbled together awards for the best of 2013. I don’t think I’ve exhausted anything over the past 12 months to justify full lists of albums/books/etc of the year. I’ve been far more of a dabbler, so it is probably best to read these ‘awards’ with caution, as it is not like I’ve consumed everything and anything in order to make a reasonably objective judgement. Essentially, here are some things I enjoyed across the year… Read the rest of this entry »

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October 23, 2013

Brahms at the Barbican

I begin with a health warning. I am no classical music expert. There is every possibility that I will use the wrong terminology, or the right terminology in the wrong way. I might try to make it sound accessible by relating it to other forms of music and in doing so sound a bit daft. I might even manage to ignore the music and just waffle on about everything else around the music. But anyway, last night I went to a classical music concert at the Barbican from the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra playing some works from Brahms, and in brief, it was amazing. Read the rest of this entry »

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September 23, 2013

Monday Reading

Man standing at a New York newsstand

A day later than I usually do this kind of thing, but I thought it was still worth sharing some of the writing I’ve enjoyed most over the past week or so. And a day without my extended ramblings is probably no bad thing. Hopefully you’ll find something you like… Read the rest of this entry »

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August 27, 2013

Shortcuts

The backstreets all have their appeal. Sometimes that appeal is obvious – they offer a shortcut from A to B, or a means of bypassing a particularly busy junction. Sometimes the appeal is more subtle. Read the rest of this entry »

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June 5, 2013

Walking to work

Commuting is a strange old business. It can eat away at your soul. You are pitted against your fellow traveller in a zero-win scenario where one side might overtake and beat the lights, or grab the final seat on the train, but will ultimately feel more bitter and more hollow for it. Read the rest of this entry »

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