Life
2120: Urban – or what?
The unclued lights (one of two words) are of a specific kind. Ignore all accents. Across 1 H-E-X? (5)…
to 2117: Highlands and islands
The twenty-two lochs which did not fit into the grid are, in order of their appearance in the story: Ainort,…
Our house was burgled as we watched The Fall
Caroline and I were watching The Fall in our front room when the intruder entered our house. Not great timing…
Dave
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Why I’m hiring graduates with thirds this year
Whenever I return to my old university, I am always struck by how incredibly focused, purposeful and studious everyone seems…
Dear Mary: How can I stop my friends giving me Christmas presents?
Q. Over the years my close friends locally have been giving each other birthday and Christmas presents. Now, as I…
Mourning Julia Gillard with the greatest wine ever to come out of Australia
My Australian friend was in mourning over the removal of Julia Gillard, the country’s first female prime minister. She had…
Swathe
Swathe is a popular word at the moment, and ignorance of its meaning, spelling and pronunciation deters no one. It…
Gillard and the Grange Hermitage
My Australian friend was in mourning over the removal of Julia Gillard, the country’s first female prime minister. She had…
This year, I’m hiring graduates with thirds
Whenever I return to my old university, I am always struck by how incredibly focused, purposeful and studious everyone seems…
Scene of the crime
Scott’s, Mount Street, Mayfair: the scene of the crime or, for those who do not read newspapers, the place where…
Friendly and ghostlike
Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill is named for superstition, snobbery and avarice. At a dinner at the Savoy in 1898…
Wild life
Il Pinguaan Springs When I first saw the Pinguaan Springs they were small, fetid bogs set about with papyrus, the…
From Vikings to vintages
The Macdonalds of Clanranald are one of the oldest families in the world. Their lineage comfortably predates the Scotland of…
Why does anyone drink wine?
You will be scandalised by the suggestion, of course, especially those of you who spend several hours every week drinking…
An ice-cream war
The Antica Roma is an ice-cream shop near the Spanish Steps in Rome; recently, it served four English tourists called…
The delights of decadence
Although I promise to move on to drink, forgive me for beginning with a less interesting but even more complex…
Steak, chips and misogyny
STK is a steakhouse at the bottom of the ME Hotel on the Aldwych. (This is a real name for…
Wild life
A leopard has been on the rampage night after night. We know her because she often lurks in the woods…
There will be spuds
Exmouth Market is a small collection of paved streets near the Farringdon Travelodge, which specialises in monomaniacal restaurants and has…
In the Ritz
The Ritz Hotel is a cake on Piccadilly made of stone; inside this cake, Lady Thatcher died. Some think it…
Wild life
Colobus monkeys in the forest were throat singing like Tibetan monks. Mist rose from the Kericho tea gardens above us…
The dark heart of the Café Royal
The Ten Room is the -restaurant inside the new Café Royal Hotel, which occupies the curve of Regent Street from…
Loo role
I love metaphor, and now metaphor has led me to a toilet near Goodge Street, in that thankless patch of…
Wild life
Rift Valley ‘We’re on the frontline,’ I said. ‘And however many guns we had, it wouldn’t be enough against the…
