St Paul’s Cathedral from millennium bridge. #blackandwhite #B&W #photography #photo #bwphotography #bnwphotography #monochrome #mono

Astronomical clock Zimmertoren, Lier, Belgium.

Bluesky - snow day in Cambridge UK

Can confirm that mature, off-dry Loire rosé is a great match with elegant home-made curries. Left: Mrs L’s prawn and aubergine curry with green beans and pilau rice Right: Taillandier Cabernet d’Anjou 2019

Zaha's Harbor Crystal Zaha Hadid Architects transform a historic fire station into the futuristic Port House, hovering above Antwerp’s docks.

Tonight’s line-up for hispanofile #2 child: - Manzanilla aperitif - Palo Cortado with mushroom parfait starter - mature Rioja with roast joint of venison

Let it snow ❄️ #happynewyear2026

Son and I have been giggling constantly and the innuendo-tastic name of these salty snacks:

Reviewed: La Parde de Haut-Bailly - 2009, an excellent year - Pessac-Leognan sub-region of Bordeaux - Cru Classe Chateau - their second wine medium.com/@tomsk71/la-...

Opening something a bit special this evening. Bought a case of 2009 Pessac-Leognan Parde de Haut-Bailly (second wine) last year. This is bottle #1 Lots going on on the nose on first decanting - ripe bramble fruits, complex oaky spice. Still quite savoury; needs time in the decanter to open up.

The Crooked House, oldest teahouse in England, c.1687

#1 child bought me artisan cheese and biscuits for Christmas and I don’t think I could be any prouder. German Weissburgunder and Grauburgunder to accompany.

Just in case you're wondering, today is Sunday.

Port grape but not port wine and not from the port region. Portugal's Touriga Nacional made into a very fruited-yet-sophisticated table wine in the Alentejo area. Terra D’Alter Touriga Nacional medium.com/@tomsk71/ter...

Meet Sids. He's a good boy.

Family Boxing Day walk around Sharpenhoe - Northen outpost of the Chilterns and the nearest proper hills to Cambridge.

A Christmas present from #1 child to remind me of my 3 and 2/5ths weeks in Slough. Berkshire cheese.

Finally settled on my Christmas line-up. We have guests who aren’t really into wine, so I’ve gone for interesting but varied easy-drinkers. - Tasman mature Riesling - Clare Valley Riesling - Bergerac Syrah - Stellenbosch Syrah - Touriga Nacional - Saffer Chenin

And relax: - dark sherry - tapas accompaniments - Talking Heads on DVD

Mature Loire rosé with dinner. Pure, precise red berries; ripe, concentrated and savoury. Good+

Beer tasting in Slough (again). I’m on the ales this time. - Old Hooky - Rev James - Abbott - Doom Bar All pretty much of a much of a muchness. Doom Bar tastes a bit sea-salty.

Beef stew for dinner this evening. Picked out an Alsace PB for starters and a mature Bordeaux to match.

The #1 movie when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go

Stone-built Snake Bridge on the Macclesfield Canal, England

Another night checking out Slough’s dining scene. Tonight it’s a steak house called, puntastically, Steakout. Large rump (so to speak), rare, pepper sauce and chunky chips.

Calgary Canadas Library, The Boat

Another visit to Afghan restaurant in Slough. Hummus, lamb skewer and mango lassi.

They used to "laugh and call him names." Now they're all dead

Another Sunday-night beer-off at ‘Spoons in Slough over a burger. I’ve got JHB, Old Peculiar, Jaipur and Rhubarb & Spice Cider. No clear winner emerging yet.

Two Big Winter Reds from Portugal: - Monte Velho Red Alentejo: super-reliable red from the sun-soaked Alentejo region - Esporão Quinta dos Murças Minas: table wine from port country Match them to some Portuguese grilled meats. medium.com/@tomsk71/the...

Bin-end Syrah from just outside Bordeaux. With a bit of age. Dubard Syrah from Rodney Fletcher Vintners medium.com/@tomsk71/dub...

FXCollaborative’s Ministry of Taxes Tower in Baku, engineered by Thornton Tomasetti, features spiraling, stacked cubes—symbolizing rising tax brackets. This bold, vertigo-inducing monument to bureaucracy blends dramatic design with green terraces and sweeping city vistas.

Mmmm, that *is* a tasty burger. Wagyu beef, melted cheddar slice, crispy bacon and caramelised red onion chutney on brioche. #ratemyplate

The David Parr House in Cambridge - the craftsmanship is undeniable, but I can't start to imagine the sort of person he must have been to want to do this and then devote the time to it. Eccentric barely begins to cover it. Obsessive and possibly neuro-divergent. 1/

Here we go!

London, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Four out of four - another great meal in Slough. Really can’t understand the hating on this place. (OK, it’s rundown postwar urban sprawl but it’s not terrible, just entirely charmless) Sherris, Slough: mutton curry, tandoori roti, mango lassi Best curry in a very long while.

More cultural tourism in Slough. Afghani / Peshawari Chapli kebab and naan. Y’know, I’m starting to rather like this place.

Happy Stylish-but-illegal-monkey Day to all who celebrate:

Current status: Ventured out to the bright lights of Slough (a somewhat run-down, blue collar suburb of west London) Sushi, katsu curry and sake for dinner.

More Sunday-night class tourism in Slough Wetherspoons (an inexpensive blue collar pub chain with surprisingly good yet inexpensive food and beer; this venue being just west of London). - Old Rosie cloudy cider - Jaipur, Thornbridge Plus burger and chips.

7th December 2023 A BBC television cameraman waits for King's College Chapel choir to process down the Sanctuary at the start of rehearsals for the annual 'Carols from King's' broadcast. Picture from my new book 'Cambridge - Light & Shade'.

Two very different German Rieslings: - concentrated, textured Tesch from Nahe - sweet-sour Dr Loosen from Mosel medium.com/@tomsk71/the...

#whamageddon I'm out, lads. Damn you, Spotify Christmas Compilation advert - was literally just a few seconds, but Rule 4 applies ("The 4th Rule: You're out as soon as you recognise the song.") @whamageddon.bsky.social

Two mark-down South African wines from Kent wine merchant Rodney Fletcher. Bothwell-made, enjoyable and Good. Peacock Wild Ferment Chenin Zevenwacht Zeven Syrah medium.com/@tomsk71/two...

The Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth, Germany. It was built in 1744

Current status: - class tourism - burger and chips - impromptu beer tasting Jaipur, Brains and 49er Slough Wetherspoons, west London.

Without saying Star Wars, name a science fiction film.

Post your favourite “Transformers” character. Wrong answers only.

Went into a record store today. Never felt more like Dad at the Disco. This used to be my environment, flipping through vinyl, buying posters. Now I’m like: is Daft Punk dance, EDM or techno? Why isn’t everything properly laid out? That shop assistant is way too young When did it all change?