One of my favourite things...

...about living on the edge of London, is the enjoyment I gain from an evening stroll by the river.

If I time it right, I'm in for a treat with one of Surbiton's glorious sunsets, enhanced by the serenity of the swans sailing by.

Even if the day has seen its stressful moments, my walk - and the scenery - work as an antidote, setting me back on track towards relaxation.

Sicily's Rubbish...

I found the parts of Sicily I visited to be exemplary as far as cleanliness was concerned, contrary to reports I'd heard from acquaintances who'd visited last year.

This street bin in Erice was in keeping with its surroundings - almost a work of art - an inspirational way to encourage tidiness and pride in one's surroundings.

Relaxing in unspoilt Selinunte...

It's not just the magnificent ruins that make a trip to Selinunte worthwhile and memorable. The glorious beach, marina and naturally unspoilt ambience are increasingly rare gems.

A sweep of pristine golden sand, a welcoming bar, lack of crowds and an inviting azure sea are the perfect combination for an afternoon of relaxation, after climbing and exploring the vast site of the Temples.

If you want to provide your own lunch, there's a brilliant and friendly little grocery selling the freshest fruit and veg, alongside chilled drinks and other snacks. You can't miss it as you walk down the hill, beachwards, from the ruins.

The large, comfortable beachside bar will keep you well nourished when you prefer to be catered for. They'll even refresh your beer if a fly dares to take a dip inside your glass.

Should you decide to go further afield for lunch, La Conchiglia has a terrace with exquisite sea views, super-fresh seafood and fish - ideally partnered by a wonderfully refreshing, light and delicious house white. Service is warm, friendly and efficiently laid-back.

If you visit on a Saturday in late September, you might be lucky enough to chance upon one of the town's annual celebrations featuring local sardines or pane nero and tomatoes.

Surbiton Sunset

Even in the most banal of (suburban) settings, it's possible to encounter a beautiful surprise. So it was recently - one of the advantages of the clear frozen weather - that I experienced this gloriously pink-tinged sunset. Taken on my (old-ish) mobile phone, it's still a satisfying photo (unlike some of my other blurry blog-featured examples!).

Any recommendations for a good affordable camera? Where's your favourite (or most surprising) sunset?

Sign of the times...

Even as an optimist, it's not always easy to remain smiling in the current climate (and I'm not just referring to the freeezing weather). I know I mentioned the departure of Woolworths, a little while back, but it hit me again how sadly strange it felt to walk past their large and now non-trading store, in the midst of Kingston's attractive market square.

Then, wandering a little further along the town into Thames Street, I had a shock... the windows of my favourite tea and coffee emporium were emblazoned with closing-down signs. I went-in, to find out more, and discovered their wonderful manager, as delightful as ever, but in a downbeat mood as she had only heard the news that morning. Ringtons has been a quality, specialist family-run business for over a century; now, sadly, they have decided the time has come for them to shut-down their stores. Happily though, they will still be trading via their website.

For the twenty minutes or so I spent in the shop browsing, shopping and chatting to their lovely (super-efficient and totally charming) manager, the shop was packed-out with curious, enthusiastic and keen shoppers.

The same day, I also learnt that I have lost all my regular sources of freelance work, too... I hope your year has started in a more positive way!

Early Christmas - Part One

Christmas season started early for me this year - inadvertently! Just over a week ago (sorry I'm a bit late in telling you...) I was invited to a celebration of Christmas, in London's sedately elegant Jermyn Street. Happily, it was closed-off to traffic so - even though it's not the most traffic-driven street in the vicinity - it enhanced the pleasurable evening's experience. All the local shops participated, some holding invitation-only events and others making it open-house, generously offering all- comers enticing festive tasters including Champagne, mince pies, port and Stilton. There was a happy atmosphere amongst the bustling crowds, on this traditional street of sartorial elegance, with enthusiasm moderated by mature well-mannered restraint, tolerance and friendly conversation.

One of the highlights for me (even though I'm not renowned as a major car enthusiast) was the impressive display of (stationary) classic cars. The MGs were especially alluring - I completely fell for a rare, pale bluebell-hued, early model. The shops that particularly impressed me were Czech & Speake and Paxton & Whitfield. If you're not already familiar with the street, treat yourself to a little wander there - when you're next in the area - it's a great antidote to the mayhem and predictability of the surrounding high streets.

New Etiquette

I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering where politeness, awareness or consideration have vanished to, sometimes... As you do, I was out-and-about running errands, when I wandered into Primark, to discover the 'wonders' of their latest economically viable offering. As I was trying on a coat, a woman passing-by (completely oblivious with no spatial awareness, whatsoever) banged right into me with her large bags.

"Excuse me", I muttered (perhaps stupidly). "What happened?" she said, astonished. "You knocked into my legs, with your bags" I replied, in a calm, matter-of-fact tone of voice. "It was only a box!" she countered "I didn't break your leg did I, so it doesn't matter!" OK, so am I supposed to gather that the new 'etiquette' is that unless you break a limb there's no need to say anything or consider a teeny word of apology? Feel free to barge away on the dodgem car ride of life? Strange, but in my world, a simple "sorry", or just a little awareness, would have sufficed - it did slightly amuse me, at the same time though... (especially as my leg wasn't broken!)

By the way - obstacle course, or not - Primark's pretty black lacy jacket, skirt and coat (for the party season) are impressively stylish and deceptively 'designer' in appearance...

Rum and Chocolate

Another rain-soaked day in London, so I'm drawn back to the wonderful time I had - a couple of weeks ago - at the sun-influenced event that was The Rum Experience. First-off, I have to confess that I'm no rum aficionado (although I know a whole lot more now than I did before I attended the fiesta). The real draw for me (and I was certainly proven right) was cocoa plantation owner, Duane Dove, who conducted a truly memorable tasting seminar on rum and chocolate pairing.

We, lucky attendees, had the deliciously educational opportunity to learn about the finer details involved in the process of chocolate production at the Swedish-trained sommelier's plantation, based on Tobago. Attention to detail and quality is paramount, with all harvesting carried-out by hand, to ensure no machinery taint or damage is incurred.

The first rum we tasted (after sniffing out the finer notes of its nose) was the 8-year-old Angostura 1919 from Trinidad. Vanilla notes dominated the nose; the taste was rich and mellow. Accompanied with a square of spicy, smoky Trinidad Pralus chocolate, it was the perfect match. Next, we sampled a 23-year-old Guatemalan rum from Ron Zacapa, a more expensive, sweeter example, paired with Michel Cluizel's fabulous single estate chocolate square, Los Ancones, from Haiti. Then onto the third rum of the day, 8-year-old Trois Rivieres from Martinique; higher in alcohol, this had a more sophisticated taste - comparable with grappa or brandy - perfect as a post-prandial digestif and stunningly paired with Valrhona's Madagascan, orange-peel suffused, Manjari - an amazingly effective duo! The ultimate rum was 10-year-old Guyanese XM Royal; richly flavorsome with fig and marmalade notes, optimally matched with Tuscan Amedei's super-smooth Chuao.

Duane recently introduced his exquisite Cane Tulip glasses in conjunction with Giarimi Design, to enhance the taste and enjoyment experience for rum lovers. His first commercially marketed chocolate will be launched, in collaboration with a renowned French artisan producer, in September 2009.

The Bard is back in Kingston

Love's Labour's Lost, at the Rose; photo credit Nobby Clark

I recently went to see the Rose Theatre's first 'home-grown' production, since their long-awaited opening at the start of the year. Love's Labour's Lost is far from one of Shakespeare's best known works but it's dear to the heart of Director Emeritus, Sir Peter Hall, as it was the first of the Bard's works he directed, at the outset of his career.

Shakespeare had a lot of fun with this work - revelling in wordplay - with many moments of lightness and mirth, in the midst of the more serious message about responsibility and being ready (sufficiently mature) for a relationship. The cast were impressive - the set minimalist (replicating Shakespearean authenticity) - but the fairly complex wordiness of the work requires great concentration from the audience. Unless you're prepared for that, you're unlikely to find it as effortlessly engrossing, as you might anticipate, from the early humour of the piece.

If you're on a budget (who isn't these days?) you can enhance the authenticity of the experience by opting for a pit 'seat', at just £7; all you need to do is arrive in good time and take along a comfortable cushion to sit on. The production runs, at the Rose, until November 15th.