Tag: weeknotes

Weeknotes #145: Not Based on Fleetwood Mac. Honest.

Autumn warmth, theatre nights, city lights, and thoughtful cultural reflections.

Week commencing Monday, 27 October 2025

A carved Halloween pumpkin with triangular eyes and a jagged, toothy grin, illuminated from within by a warm glow, sitting on a dark surface against a white brick wall.
Halloween Toothy Terror

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 3/7; Exercise 1/7 and Move 3/7. (33%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 23,036

Life

  • I can tell the clocks have gone back. It feels like autumn. It’s maybe my favourite time of year.
  • Also, pumpkin-carving time.
  • Monday, to see Stereophonic, a West End transfer of a Broadway drama that takes a fly-on-the-wall look at a fictional 1970s rock band struggling to record an album. It’s not based on Fleetwood Mac. Honest.
  • I imagine the playwright felt the best way to convey the endless grind of studio recording was to make the audience feel it too — it was long. But not based on Fleetwood Mac. Honest.
  • Sad news. Prunella Scales died this week. Loved for Fawlty Towers, but I really warmed to her in the canal journeys she did with her husband, Timothy West — beautiful, slow television that’s becoming rarer by the week.
  • The new breed of city-haters don’t want us to know that homicide rates in London are lower than all major US cities, and at a ten-year low.
  • I was in town on Thursday night. All was lovely. The Regent Street Christmas lights might have been under test. Carnaby Street lights are up, but not on.
  • Also in the news, the council that might have fined a woman £150 for pouring coffee down the drain — and later said they weren’t going to do it — said people should talk to the council, after all, they are “human beings and … don’t bite”.
  • In an article declaring that ‘world-class’ architects have been chosen for Oxford Street’s pedestrianisation, I also learned of plans to pedestrianise more of Soho, with Stephen Fry quoted as saying, “London is at its best when it gives space to people.” Which I can agree with.

Media

  • We spent midweek finally catching up with everyone else watching The Celebrity Traitors. It’s very well done.
  • More about advertising: “the industry that taught the world about purpose has misplaced its own.” Are agencies just talking spreadsheets now?

Weeknotes #144: the cloud ate my speaker

Tech frustrations, good theatre, tidy cupboards, and excellent Sunday pastries.

Week commencing Monday, 20 October 2025

A tall tree displaying brilliant red and orange autumn foliage against a dramatic, cloudy grey sky. In the bottom left, a section of a brick building with white windows is visible.
Autumn is putting on a dramatic show in Raynes Park.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move /37. (62%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 40,851

Life

  • Frustratingly, I learned that my perfectly functional SoundTouch speaker is about to become an electronic brick. They can no longer “support the cloud infrastructure that powers this older generation of products”. This is not how Tomorrow’s World said the future would unfold. Also, very annoying.
  • Relatedly, unrelated: the Amazon Web Services outage shows infrastructure is at the mercy of American Big Tech. It’s bad for us all.
  • I really want to know if, when launching their newest thing, OpenAI wanted “Vibe Lifing” to become a thing. I suspect yes.
  • Oh, it’s not just agencies, Steve: “Have you ever looked up during an internal review and wondered ‘who the ✱✱ are all of these people?’”. Yup.
  • I think we might have had “one for the road” more than once on Thursday night. But Friday was actually a really interesting day at work, and I didn’t notice I was tired.
  • But then The Producers at The Garrick managed to keep me wide awake: I’d give it all the stars. I thought it was wonderful that it still works as satire. Who’s doing that kind of comedy today?
  • The Raynes Park branch of Lockdown Bakehouse had a steady stream of customers on Sunday morning. Great to see a new business in the area.
  • Later that day, quite a bit of “cupboard sorting”. Maybe I’ll start a TikTok; it seems like something that could make me a cleanfluencer.

Media

  • We are coming to the end of this season of Only Murders in the Building and, while I am still enjoying it, the robotic concierge character has stretched this one a little too far.
  • We have jumped on the Celebrity Traitors bandwagon—binging four episodes this weekend. I think we both wish there had been a few more hours (even if we did get an extra one on Saturday night). Don’t tell me anything.
  • And still no Taylor listening.

Weeknotes #143: from Bacchae to Bruce

Theatre, art, laughter, and music define a lively cultural week.

Week commencing Monday, 13 October 2025

Five male performers singing enthusiastically into microphones on stage at The Crazy Coqs, with a red curtain backdrop and neon signage, performing songs from Bruce Springsteen's catalogue
Performers belt out The Boss’s greatest hits with unrestrained passion at The Crazy Coqs’ Bruce Springsteen tribute evening.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 6/7. (81%). Morning walks: 0/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 62,275

Life

  • Monday was a day of meetings. Quite glad I finished at 5:30 p.m., as trespassers at Clapham meant all the trains were messed up and we really crawled into Waterloo. Any later would have been bad.
  • The Bacchae at the Olivier, at the National. Not much ancient in this Greek tragedy: it’s loud, contemporary, and full of attitude. All modern language, plenty of swearing, and bursts of rap and spoken word. I had no expectations going in, which added to the enjoyment.
  • Back to the National again on Wednesday evening. This time, the Lyttelton, for Shakespeare. Hamlet is bouncy: all bravado, beanie hats and oversized jumpers, a performance full of energy and humour. Ophelia’s descent into madness was raw. But it dragged compared with the energy of The Bacchae.
  • Frameless. Saturday, a wonderful immersive art experience near Marble Arch. You should go.
  • Who knew that the Lucky Saint company, known for alcohol-free beer, operates a licensed pub in Marylebone called The Lucky Saint? We were definitely on the alcoholic beer: it served a rather good pint of Beamish.
  • Also, the clock finally got replaced. It’s surprising how often we looked at the space where the clock used to hang.
  • It’s 23 years since one of my favourite stories on the Internet.
  • Sunday, lunch did not have the most auspicious of starts. We had to keep asking, but the food made up for it in the end. Still, a central London restaurant that couldn’t serve coffee at the end—really?
  • The weekend ended on a high: Crazy Coqs’ Bruce Springsteen night. I hadn’t realised how many songs I actually knew—or how much I enjoyed them all.

Media

Weeknotes #142: Signs of the times

Lively week of theatre, travel and nostalgia

Week commencing Monday, 6 October 2025

A steam locomotive pulling passenger carriages along a single track through lush green countryside, billowing white steam into the air. Passengers are disembarking and walking along a concrete platform beside the train, with trees in full summer foliage surrounding the rural station setting
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Wootton station, where locomotives still produce their own clouds.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 6/7. (76%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 54,220

Life

  • Monday’s pub quiz was the first we’ve done as a foursome for a while. This week seemed very hard, but with a bit of luck on the wipeout round, we came 3rd.
  • Sign of the times: the Reform Party are putting electioneering leaflets through the door. What bothers me most is that their description of London is not my lived experience.
  • Wednesday night at the Trafalgar Theatre to see Heartstopper’s Joe Locke in Clarkston. Locke confirms his stage chops; he’s good, even if the character is not a million miles from his Heartstopper role. But Ruaridh Mollica is a revelation as Chris — all brooding tension and coiled anxiety.
  • Thursday evening to the Isle of Wight. Managed to make the earlier FastCat, which makes all the difference. Why does my Wightlink app continually show an expired ticket pass rather than the active one? It makes the moment of ticket scanning a lottery.
  • It was the Ryde Beer Festival — although we ended up with cider at The Star on Friday. Sadly, it wasn’t very busy, and as the northerners in the middle had another drink, their conversation became louder than the musician.
  • Another sign of the times: MTV to axe its music TV channels in the UK. I’m surprised this didn’t happen a while ago. Does anybody watch music anywhere other than YouTube and, in my case, old BBC Four reruns of Top of the Pops (lots of 1990s-era episodes this week).

Media

  • Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast on the train. Radio 1’s Greg James was the guest, primarily promoting his new book. The overall message is about “not letting go of that inner child” and navigating “how to grow up without growing old.”
  • Still haven’t heard The Life of a Showgirl, although I did listen to some of the Scott Mills interview with her.

Weeknotes #141: A shifty-looking youth and an air-fried rasher

A joyful week of celebration, reflection, and festive discoveries shared.

Week commencing Monday, 29 September 2025

A close-up photograph of a charred aubergine dish topped with colourful microgreens in shades of green and pink, sesame seeds, and dots of red sauce, served on a pale ceramic plate with decorative sauce dots around the edges.
Bantof Restaurant Soho’s Tahini Aubergine.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 4/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 6/7. (66%). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 52,319

Life

  • Sad news. Patricia Routledge dies aged 96. Forever etched in my mind as Kitty: A shifty-looking youth in plimsolls came and waggled my aerial and wolfed my Gypsy Creams, but that’s the comprehensive system for you.
  • Straight from the office on Wednesday to our anniversary dinner — a gorgeous little restaurant in Soho. Our table was on the ground floor; it’s intimate and a bit stylish. PY went to look at the outdoor terrace, which he said was great. The meal was mainly shared plates, which got a bit complex on the small table. We started with English sparkling to toast the years.
  • Related, the service was exemplary: attentive and efficient.
  • In the office twice this week. Much excitement about the big party on Thursday night, which I skipped in favour of a train and ferry to the Isle of Wight. The next morning, there was no gossip, but also a very quiet group of colleagues.
  • So, ID cards are back on the table. I expected more discussion this week. Maybe I missed it, but I did read about how they will work. And I wrote a thing.
  • Related, the gov.uk wallet is new to me — an interesting concept.
  • A Canadian TV network has admitted its TV business may not survive another five years. Ouch.
  • On Saturday, we discovered that bacon cooked in the air fryer makes much less smoke and is still delicious. We repeated the process on Sunday morning before the boat returned.
  • If the Christmas countdown began last week, the Christmas World visit this weekend was good. The lack of festive music made it feel off, but I don’t blame them for not using those playlists just yet.
  • Engineering works meant the train journey home went the long way round. We stopped off in Woking to see Christine and David on the way.

Media

  • Contestants on this week’s Only Connect had never heard of The Golden Girls sitcom. Ouch again.
  • Only Murders in the Building continues to be enjoyable, but I am wondering how long they can keep the interest with the theme. The robot concierge amused me.
  • We started watching more Slow Horses, but we are a season behind. Season 4 is, thankfully, still great.
  • Taylor (at this point, do we need to say Swift?) released her twelfth album, The Life of a Showgirl, and managed to appear on most of the major breakfast music shows on radio. Although not with Scott on Radio 2 — he’s on holiday, so she’ll have to wait for that interview to be played next week. I wonder how the PR negotiations went on that one? I haven’t heard the album yet.

Weeknotes #140: from deadlines to finish lines

Festive anticipation, teamwork, laughter, family meals, and rewarding volunteering moments.

Week commencing Monday, 22 September 2025

Collection of Vitality 10,000 finisher medals with red and black lanyards displaying '2025' and event branding, arranged in a radiating pattern on the fence awaiting distribution to race participants
Finisher medals await their well-earned recipients at the 2025 Vitality 10,000 in London.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 2/7 and Move 6/7. (66%). Morning walks: 0/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 43,109

Life

  • Back to work was hard on Monday, but I managed to get through it and am back to making progress with some big initiatives.
  • Related, I am counting down to Christmas. It’s the fun 100 days.
  • Good news: British Airways have already confirmed they are paying out for both the lost baggage and the flight. I wrote-up the second-week of the holiday. It was probably all in last week’s notes, so you might not need to go and read the new words.
  • Thursday: “Fancy a quick drink after work?” turned into a mini product team evening—and maybe one too many. A good night after all.
  • Friday dinner in Woking with family was from the nearby Lebanese restaurant. What appeared not to be enough food turned out to be too much.
  • Caterina’s birthday drinks were in The Crosse Keys in the City. The cavernous ex-banking hall turned Wetherspoons was a very impressive space. Lots of prosecco made for a lovely afternoon.
  • Sunday, we were volunteering at the Vitality London 10,000 run. We gave finishers their medals. A lot of ribbon and metal needed unpacking from boxes, separating and stacking even before the first runners commenced. Some of those who had opted out of medals were not happy when they couldn’t receive one, but they can apply afterwards—and there were spares. Much fun congratulating people who’d finished.

Media

Weeknotes #139: missed views, found falls

Adventures, airports, waterfalls, and re-entry — travel tales beautifully grounded.

Week commencing Monday, 15 September 2025

Tour boat full of tourists wearing orange life jackets approaches the base of Iguazu Falls, with massive waterfalls cascading over tiered basalt cliffs surrounded by lush green vegetation and mist rising from the churning water below
Tourists aboard a boat excursion approach the thundering cascades of Iguazu Falls on the Argentina-Brazil border, where getting soaked is not just likely—it’s the entire point.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 6/7. (76 %). Total steps: 77,891

Life

  • The week started back in a Patagonian national park with a hike up for a view that was lost in the clouds. The other English speaker on the bus didn’t seem that interested in the tour.
  • In the evening, I ate my steak while one of the local strays laid his head on my lap for as long as the steak was on my plate. As soon as it was gone, he lost interest. Nobody seemed concerned. Can you imagine the health-and-safety implications in the UK?
  • Tuesday was a fly day: fly back to Buenos Aires but don’t leave the airport before taking off again bound for Iguazú. The views from El Calafate Airport were great. In Buenos Aires the lounge was packed, and it was dark by the time we landed in the north.
  • PY’s ‘bucket list’ used to include a trip to see the Iguazú Falls. It’s not on the list anymore as we crossed it off on Wednesday.
  • So much to say about the majesty of the falls: panoramics from Brazil, close-up encounters in Argentina. The boat ride, or ‘Grand Adventure’, was stunning, and you really appreciate the power of the cascades.
  • My diary entry for Thursday’s return to Buenos Aires is entitled Three countries, two beers, one perfect pizza. The Tripoint is very impressive, the restaurant with the river views was a find I wish we’d made a day earlier, and the pizza experience at Pizzería Güerrín on Corrientes Avenue seemed authentic.
  • Friday was a return flight. Iberia seats were more exposed to the aisle so I didn’t sleep well. Or maybe it was the hours of turbulence that kept me awake. I was very ready for the landing.
  • Related, on Saturday morning we were almost first in the lounge and first in the shower queue. I had a little bottle of plane wine on the last leg of the holiday back to London, even though it was only 10 a.m. It felt like yesterday.
  • Sunday brought a gentle re-entry to London life. In a bid to keep busy, we decided to visit the This is Oxford Street event, where the street was closed to traffic and given over to music, food, fashion pop-ups, and other entertainment — a glimpse of what full pedestrianisation might mean.
  • Related, if this is what it means, it’ll be a bonanza for the retailers: the place was packed.

Media

  • I finished The Janson Directive and can confirm that it was meaty enough that the other books were unnecessary baggage.

Weeknotes #138: nothing lost but my heart

Lost luggage, perfect steaks, tango nights, glaciers, and joyful discovery.

Week commencing Monday, 8 September 2025

Large living sculpture spelling 'BA' covered in dense green vegetation and plants, with person - the author - standing between letters in Buenos Aires city centre, buildings and blue sky in the background.
Proof that Buenos Aires is literally growing on you.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 7/7. (96%). Holiday time. Total steps: 105,183

Life

  • We’d done twilight check-in. We woke at 3 am. All was on plan until the email explained our first flight (to Madrid) was cancelled and everything had to be changed. We opted not to go back home, but spending an entire day at Heathrow was harder than I expected, even with lounge access.
  • Related, I imagine if I were in corporate espionage, I’d sit in the BA lounge listening to all the calls.
  • The flight stopped in Rio, where most of the passengers disembarked, while only a few continued. Somebody had left duty-free items in the overhead locker above me, and they had to be removed before we could depart.
  • At baggage collection, it soon became clear that I wasn’t going to get a suitcase. I was remarkably calm. They were remarkably good at getting it to me.
  • Day one: after clothes shopping, dinner was Parrilla Don Julio, a steak restaurant ranked number 10 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2024. It’s obvious why. This will not be a meat-free holiday.
  • On day two, even though we’d just arrived, we crossed the Río de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. Easy to travel. Beautiful old town.
  • Thursday: a tourist bus ticket took us to La Boca, specifically El Caminito, the little street that has become one of Buenos Aires’s most distinctive sights. The corrugated-iron houses, splashed in bright reds, yellows and blues, felt like they had been painted to lift the mood of anyone passing by.
  • Dinner was a tango show at La Ventana — powerful, elegant dancers paired with live musicians, singers and even bursts of Argentine folk. We were surprised by the Don’t Cry for Me Argentina portions, having been told the country didn’t really take Andrew Lloyd Webber’s interpretation of its history to heart.
  • Birthday Friday was a lot of great things, but the chef’s counter at Fogón Asado — a twist on Argentina’s traditional barbecue, with about ten guests seated around the open fire as each cut of meat is prepared in front of us — was a real highlight treat. It’s very up close and personal with the chef and the sommelier. Luckily, they were both lovely.
  • Saturday: a flight south where my luggage kept pace with me. It wasn’t beef here; it was lamb.
  • The week ended with Los Glaciares National Park in Argentinian Patagonia. Stunning.
  • If travel teaches anything, it’s that a lost suitcase is just the first chapter of a much better tale. Argentina might have stolen my heart.

Media

  • After boarding, before sleeping, I watched The Salt Path and The Amateur. They passed a few hours of the flight to Buenos Aires.
  • I am not reading as much on this holiday as I had assumed. On the 14-hour flight I read nothing. At least I’ve started The Janson Directive, and it’s a meaty enough book that it might last the trip and mean the other books were unnecessary baggage.

Weeknotes #137: From tiebreakers to take-offs

Lively week of quizzes, theatre, good company and smooth travel

Week commencing Monday, 1 September 2025

A view across Heathrow Airport's car park at dusk, with rows of parked vehicles in the foreground and aircraft visible on the tarmac beyond the perimeter fence. The sky displays soft pink and blue hues as evening approaches, whilst planes and airport infrastructure create a silhouette against the horizon.
The airport winds down for the evening as viewed from the Thistle Hotel

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 6/7. (90%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 69,528

Life

  • Once again, the week started with a quiz. And again, we ended up in the ninth-place tiebreaker (as a reminder, that’s good). The lady who answered ‘Tainted Love’ was too quick off the mark for Ben. Always fun!
  • I had a Christmas planning session with my brother. It’s only just September.
  • Unusually, I had an office day on Wednesday. The journey to the Barbican that followed should have been straightforward. As it was, I ran into the auditorium just in time for the house lights to go out.
  • Related, Sean Hayes is very good in Good Night, Oscar. Lots of discussion afterwards about whether it was based on a true story (yes) and whether he really could play the piano (also yes).
  • Thursday was one of those office days where I said what I really felt and then apologised for it. I don’t think I should have done. But all good.
  • Related, as a consequence, the work social in the pub could have been messy but ended up being very restrained.
  • I finished Friday on time, which must be a first before a holiday. We went to visit a new pub, The Leather Bottle, and it was nice.
  • Related, on the way home, we picked up a ‘hot honey’ pizza and then noticed ‘hot honey’ is everywhere. Is it a trend I am missing?
  • Saturday: is it unusual to admit I find my dentist funny and enjoy going?
  • A lovely lady in NatWest helped me with a banking problem 25 years in the making. All will be resolved.
  • On Sunday afternoon, the Heathrow T5 pods marked the start of the holiday. In the restaurant, it was busier than on previous visits. The planes were taking off in the other direction.

Media

Weeknotes #136: to and from the Island

Busy travel week ends with sunshine, laughter, and shared Sunday lunch.

Week commencing Monday, 25 August 2025

Families and beachgoers relax on Ryde beach on a sunny bank holiday Monday, with colourful windbreaks, beach tents, and people scattered across the golden sand. Bicycles are parked along the promenade in the foreground, whilst the calm blue waters of the Solent stretch towards Portsmouth's distant skyline under clear skies.
Visitors make the most of the glorious sunshine on Ryde beach

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7; Move 6/7 (90%). Morning walks: 0/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days: 1/4. Total steps: 42,163

Life

  • Bank Holiday Monday brought beautiful weather. I’ve never seen the Ryde beaches so busy.
  • T and guests arrived by 11:30, and the women were in the sea before 12:30. We went for a quick snack at lunch. They were fine in the flat all week.
  • On Monday afternoon, we left them in the flat and headed towards London. The 2:45 pm FastCat crossing was a bit bumpy, but it didn’t stop the scramble for the sundeck. We had too many bags, so we enjoyed the front indoor window seats instead.
  • The return to the Island on Friday evening faced more travel delays. Not trains this time — Wight Ryder I was taken out of service just as we were about to board, and Wight Ryder II was brought in to replace it 20 minutes later.
  • Trains weren’t going to let the ferry take this week’s delay crown. On Monday, split tickets saved us money on the return journey, but then we missed our connection, and I wished we hadn’t tried to save a few pounds. Early on Sunday morning, my Avanti service left Euston 20 minutes late when it should have been rushing me towards Shrewsbury, and later in the day my London Northwestern service was cancelled due to staff shortages. I log these now so that one day I’ll be able to say, “it got better”.
  • Sunday lunch was excellent in Shrewsbury, and later we had coffee outside a hotel bar that we all thought used to be a fitness club.

Media

Weeknotes #135: jabs, Grease and a sunny beach

Vaccinations, scooters, cinema and sunshine — chaos turns into calm joy.

Week commencing Monday, 18 August 2025

A large cruise ship passes through the Solent waterway with Portsmouth's skyline visible in the background, including the distinctive Spinnaker Tower. The view is captured from Ryde beach at low tide, with wet sand in the foreground and calm blue waters separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland.
Cruise ship passes through the Solent with Portsmouth’s skyline in the background

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 5/7. (76%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 61,979

Life

  • We left it late for travel vaccinations. After finding and completing a form buried on the NHS website, the surgery called, and I got an appointment within 48 hours, receiving the vaccines on Wednesday morning. Still needed to source some privately: Superdrug does travel clinics. Who knew?
  • Then, when attending the clinic on Thursday — chaos: Superdrug had no Yellow Fever jabs and hadn’t contacted me. After a scramble across London, I finally got vaccinated in Earlsfield.
  • Monday brought an interesting call with the insurance company. It was helpful but neither clarified nor reassured me.
  • Tuesday, went to the Grease-themed Secret Cinema in Battersea Park. Clever mix of film and live performance, complete with fairground, Rydell High sets and a live band — easily one of the best immersive events I’ve done.
  • Related, I dressed (almost) appropriately in a white T-shirt and bomber jacket, ate chicken burgers to a ’50s soundtrack and ended the night dancing and singing along to the big numbers in the outdoor finale.
  • Wednesday evening, I opened the fridge door to see what fresh ingredients needed using up. I spoke the list into my phone with one of the AI chatbots open and within seconds had a recipe that turned out to be delicious and stopped food waste. We really are living in the future. Hey Siri, where are my jet-boots?
  • Related, leftovers went into the freezer. I still can’t get labels to stick to the plastic boxes used. Perhaps we’re not so much in the future after all.
  • Thursday, back-to-back meetings all day, including a repeat run-through of an incident fix and a ham sandwich eaten off-camera in yet another planning session.
  • Later, we were lucky to find the Portsmouth train on the platform before it was announced, which meant we grabbed a table seat and tucked into meal-deal dinners en route. By the time of the 21:45 crossing it was dark, but the sea was calm and the sailing pleasant.
  • Up to 10,000 scooterists on The Island for what’s reportedly the world’s biggest scooter rally. We went to The Star for an evening of appropriately themed music.
  • We returned on Saturday night for a different musical vibe, having spent the day walking by the sea.
  • We went back again on Sunday lunchtime for even more chilled-out music. Then, to RT Cafe Grill for lunch, where the spiced tempura lobster and prawn burger was delicious — but at those prices, I shouldn’t have to ask twice for mayonnaise.

Media

Weeknotes #134: regular walking resumed, new places visited

Family, friends, culture, and celebration enriched a lively, fulfilling week.

Week commencing Monday, 11 August 2025

Panoramic view of London's skyline from Hampstead Heath showing the City of London's modern skyscrapers including the Shard and Gherkin rising above a dense canopy of green trees, with residential areas and lower buildings in the foreground under an overcast sky.
London’s financial district towers above the treeline in this classic view from Hampstead Heath

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 6/7. (90%). Morning walks: 3/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days: 1/5. Total steps: 67,665

Life

  • The past weekend really felt like an extension of our Spanish holidays, which made it hard to get back into work mode.
  • There wasn’t as much work to catch up on as I’d imagined, although I did let it drag into Tuesday before finishing reviewing all my messages.
  • I managed to get out for my morning walk on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday — the last one amongst the trees on Cannon Hill Common. It really is a better way to start the day.
  • Another pub quiz to start the week with B&A joining us again. B was our nominee for the ninth-place tie-breaker. Sadly, we didn’t identify the song, but it was a remarkable recovery considering how poor our first round was. I made more contributions to the music round than usual: Three Degrees, Hues Corporation and Jimmy Ruffin.
  • Later in the week, we learned A-level results were in and B&A both got what they needed for university. Congratulations.
  • I did my Tai Chi class without leaving the house.
  • Thursday to the bar in the Young Vic to meet friends. Another great evening, although we should all learn to leave before closing.
  • Saturday, with P&W to visit Kenwood House, an English Heritage neoclassical mansion on Hampstead Heath that we’d not visited before. It houses a small art collection that includes a Turner and a Rembrandt self-portrait. And, wonderfully, it’s free to visit.
  • Later, dinner was at Kitty Hawk, on top of the Page 8 Hotel, with views over Trafalgar Square. It seems uncertain whether it should be a restaurant or a bar. The terraces were full of drinkers, the music was loud and, unfortunately for us, service was poor. They were having an off-evening.
  • Sunday, lunch with M&R. I forgot my hat, and the walk there was in the sun. I should remember. Food and company, as always, were great. When the conversation moved onto funerals, we knew we ought to call it a night.

Media

  • Finished Christopher Fowler’s On the Loose; number 7 in the Bryant & May series and the one I have read out of sequence. Now I understand more about book 8.
  • Our new favourite Sunday night thing plays underplayed and almost completely forgotten hits of the 80s: Forgotten 80s on Absolute 80s. This week’s show featured Bow Wow Wow’s C30 C60 C90 Go!, which I have definitely not heard since the 80s.

Weeknotes #133: Achievement unlocked and other Spanish adventures

Exploring Basque culture, art, coastlines, and football—memorable Spanish adventures.

Week commencing Monday, 4 August 2025

The distinctive titanium-clad exterior of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao designed by Frank Gehry, with tourists walking along the riverside promenade and the red La Salve Bridge visible in the background
Eduardo Chillida's steel sculpture Peine del Viento installed on rocky coastal cliffs overlooking the Cantabrian Sea in San Sebastián, with waves crashing against the rocks and a small sailing boat visible on the horizon
he suspended gondola of the historic Vizcaya Bridge (Puente Colgante) crossing high above the Nervión River, with colourful residential buildings and hills of Bilbao visible in the background under an overcast sky
Rocky coastal islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe with its distinctive stone bridge connecting to the mainland, historic hermitage buildings on the summit, and dramatic natural rock arches carved by the sea
Magnificent stained glass ceiling in the Assembly House of Guernica depicting the sacred Tree of Guernica (Gernikako Arbola) with intricate green and gold foliage against a geometric grid pattern, symbolising Basque freedoms and democratic traditions
Interior view of San Mamés Stadium showing the distinctive oval roof opening, modern architecture with white steel framework, and red seating arranged in tiers

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand /7; Exercise /7 and Move /7 (%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days: 1/5. Total steps: 125,093

Life

  • We spent Monday acclimatising to Bilbao; it’s a lovely city. Although a chunk of the day was spent trying to acquire tickets for a trip out on Tuesday. We found the bus station, saw the queues, and were directed straight to a window where nobody was waiting. It was our lucky day.
  • Achievement unlocked: I’ve always wanted to visit Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum. It’s the reason I suggested adding this bit to our trip. It’s renowned for its revolutionary titanium-clad architecture designed by Frank Gehry that has become an iconic symbol of the city’s urban regeneration. It did not disappoint.
  • More surprisingly, the exhibitions were every bit as impressive. I usually get quite impatient in galleries, but I could have stayed longer.
  • The exhibition featuring works by the renowned American conceptual artist Barbara Kruger, known for her provocative text-based art, was pretty impressive.
  • Tuesday, we took the bus to the beautiful seaside resort of San Sebastián. A leisurely stroll along La Concha Bay culminated at “El Peine del Viento” (The Comb of the Wind), Eduardo Chillida’s iconic trio of nine-tonne steel sculptures anchored into the rocks. A beautiful walk in the sun.
  • On the return walk, a tinto de verano on the terrace of a tennis club bar called Wimbledon was very welcome in the heat. Before the return bus trip, we tried a Gilda, a classic Basque pintxo of a green olive, a salted anchovy fillet, and one or two pickled chilli peppers, on bread. I looked up the name: it’s named after the 1946 film Gilda, starring Rita Hayworth. The pintxo is said to embody similar characteristics—green (guindilla), salty (anchovy), and a little spicy—just like the film character.
  • On Wednesday, PY and I did a half-day tour: Bizkaia Bridge (the historic transporter bridge spanning the Nervión River), Gaztelugatxe (views of an island linked to dry land by a two-arch bridge known as Dragonstone in Game of Thrones), Bermeo (authentic Basque fishing village), and Gernika (home to the sacred tree where Basque assemblies have met for centuries and Picasso’s Guernica commemorating the 1937 bombing).
  • The famous Tree of Guernica is depicted in the stained-glass ceiling in the Assembly House (Casa de las Juntas). It’s one of the most impressive stained-glass works I’ve seen, and you have to look up.
  • When we returned to Bilbao, we took the Artxanda Funicular to the summit of Artxanda Mountain for the views over the city.
  • On our last morning, Pete, Mark, and I went on a tour of Athletic Club Bilbao’s stadium and museum. The tour is a behind-the-scenes look at its impressive architecture, history, and the pride the city takes in its team, with the highlight being the dramatic moment of stepping out onto the pitch, where the sweeping stands rise around you and you get a player’s-eye view of the arena. It must be pretty intimidating for visiting teams.
  • When we returned to the UK, the weather matched what we’d experienced on holiday, so we spent three days walking and relaxing.

Media

  • Still managing to stay mostly off social media, except for a couple of Instagram posts; no television in Spain (although a little when we got back). I completed Richard Osman’s The Last Devil to Die, which is another lovely book—if you can ignore the murder—in the Thursday Murder Club series.
  • I also completed Off the Rails, number eight in the Peculiar Crimes Unit books. When I started it, I realised I’d missed number seven, so that was ordered while I was away, and I’m now reading the origin of the Mr Fox story.

Weeknotes #132: discovering Spain

Joyful travels through Spain with friends, food, wine, and discovery.

Week commencing Monday, 28 July 2025

The Gothic Cathedral of León in Spain on a bright sunny day, featuring twin spires, an ornate rose window, pointed arches, and intricate stone tracery, standing majestically in the main square surrounded by historic buildings and visitors
Interior view of Abadía Retuerta's wine cellar showing rows of wooden wine barrels stacked on metal racks extending into the distance, with dramatic lighting creating a cathedral-like atmosphere in the storage facility
Interior view of La Sastrería cocktail bar showing a well-stocked bar with illuminated shelving displaying premium spirits and bottles, hanging wine glasses, a modern point-of-sale system, and professional bar equipment with blue LED lighting
Night view of Plaza Mayor in Valladolid, Spain, showing the illuminated town hall with blue lighting and clock tower, surrounded by traditional red-brick buildings with warm golden lighting, ornate street lamps, and people strolling across the spacious cobblestone square
A wooden serving board displaying six gourmet tapas on toasted bread slices, featuring various toppings including sliced meat with strawberries and blackberries, prawns with melted cheese, and other colourful Mediterranean ingredients

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 7/7. (86%). Morning walks: 0/2 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/2. Total steps: 89,762

Life

  • Tuesday was my last day before a week in Spain. I was in the office for a workshop on a big new project. I won’t be involved very much, but I did have some input into the planning. I suspect this will progress quickly while I am away.
  • Home to pack and head to the airport. PY had some work to do before we left, which meant we arrived later than I’d imagined. We stayed at the Thistle hotel near the autonomous pods ahead of an early flight.
  • R&M were also staying nearby. Around 9pm they joined us for dinner in the restaurant with (almost) a view of the runway.
  • Next morning, the flight was at 7:50am, arriving in Madrid just before lunch. E’s suitcase didn’t appear on the carousel at arrivals, but thanks to AirTags, we knew it was in the airport. Very little help from the airport staff, but it appeared as soon as the next flight was loaded onto the luggage belt.
  • Thankfully, we’d factored in a long time between arrival and the train, so – when we got to the station – there was time for a refreshing Spanish beer.
  • The train to ‘Valladolid – Campo Grande’ was fast and smooth. The hotel turned out to be a very short walk from the station.
  • The rest of the day was spent exploring. The canapés (tapas) we had at Jero Catedral are highly recommended.
  • We walked 8 miles around Valladolid on Thursday: the riverside walk was wonderful, there’s even a small manmade beach on the riverbank, and every food stop along the way was delicious. The squid ink risotto at Hasta la Peineta taberna was very tasty.
  • In the late afternoon, we were the only six people on the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus. We didn’t hop off.
  • It was Pete’s birthday. The meat at Vinotinto for his birthday dinner was perfectly prepared. The octopus dish was excellent.
  • E took us to a cocktail bar to end the evening. La Sastrería is sewing-themed. It’s an amazing place in a hidden arcade. Look out for it if you are ever in town.
  • Friday was Pete’s gift day. Abadía Retuerta is a stunning vineyard with the most beautiful hotel and spa on site. Sadly, we only did the tour and wine tasting, but if you take the virtual tour you will see how stunning the monastery’s conversion into a hotel has been. I raved about the Tempranillo and decided to splurge on a bottle. It may be the most expensive wine I’ve ever bought.
  • Saturday, to León. The flaming chorizo tapas were a food highlight, the bus tour was a welcome break from walking through the tourist crowds, and the Convento de San Marcos (Parador de León) was another very impressive convent-to-hotel conversion. The city had a very touristy feel.
  • Sunday, time to pack and move to Bilbao, which feels like a much bigger city than either Valladolid or León.

Media

  • I’m avoiding social media and television while on this holiday. I have finished reading The Wrong Hands, a crime thriller that had me hooked. I haven’t read the first in the series, but I am thinking of getting it.

Weeknotes #131: music and sunsets

Busy week of work, music, travel, friends, and sunshine moments.

Week commencing Monday, 21 July 2025

A golden sunset viewed through the salt-stained windscreen of a ferry, with the sun creating dramatic lens flares and highlighting water droplets on the glass. The ferry's white deck furniture and safety railings are visible in the foreground, while the calm waters of the Solent stretch towards the horizon under a gradient sky transitioning from warm orange near the sun to pale blue-grey above.
The Portsmouth to Isle of Wight FastCat proves that even the most routine ferry crossing can serve up a golden hour spectacular

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 3/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 6/7. (62%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 51,553

Life

  • It’s been tough going at work this week. There are a lot of projects on the go, and they’re spread out and moving slowly.
  • Wednesday, to see The Hidden Cameras at The Social. There’s some new material including a Vince Clarke remix of the latest single. The gig mixed old and new; very glad I got to see it live.
  • Friday, the carpenter didn’t turn up to fix the cupboard. PY wasn’t very happy.
  • Also Friday evening, to the ferry for the Isle of Wight. I noticed the app had a departure platform, but the station’s screens did not. Took a gamble and managed to avoid the rush for the front carriage. This time, we were on time for the ferry. Fish and chips when I arrived.
  • Saturday, T and his Ukrainian tenants came across for a visit. It started raining, I didn’t take my hat, and so I burned when the sun came out.
  • Breakfast was at Wetherspoons, which was packed at 9:30 in the morning. But, a nice day in the sun. They managed to secure an earlier hovercraft back.
  • We returned early Sunday morning.