“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anaïs Nin I watched The Prince and Me the other night. Not because I’m the biggest fan of chick flicks (although I’ll never say no to a good Hugh Grant rom-com) but, … Read More
“It is ordinary people’s lives who have been harmed by these events; the independent shopkeepers who have had their premises looted…We stand beside them with a clear message that our community will not stand for this.” — Chuka Umunna MP I grew up on the East Coast of the States–a region notorious for its hurricane … Read More
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” — Gandhi London is a big place…and it’s home to us all. I feel blessed to have called London home twice in my life now…but I’m not the only one. My friend Amanda, another American transplant from Virginia/Texas/Seattle. My friends Justin and Chris, both fellow … Read More
“Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it’ s a tool; “I’ll meet you in that pub, you know, the one opposite that wall with a picture of a monkey holding a chainsaw”. I mean, how much more useful can a painting be than that?” — Banksy Confession: … Read More
“The best form of preparation is to have no preparation.” — Buddy, illustrious host of the Festival of Slow What do you get with 170(ish) tiny hatchback cars, 50 or so second-hand ambulances, a handful of firetrucks (all sirens still definitely in working order), and approximately 700 people crazy enough to think they can drive … Read More
“Origami appealed to the same aesthetic which created the tea ceremony, which one scholar has described as “essentially a worship of the Imperfect, as it is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible thing we know as life…” — Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea So there’s a bit of backstory I … Read More
“It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” — Robert Louis Stevenson It’s amazing where one hour can get you out of London. … Read More
“By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.” — Samuel Johnson The Southbank never ceases to amaze me. When my beloved mother came to Londontown for a visit in April, we had such a good time meandering past street performers and carnival rides that I knew I had … Read More
“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” — Jimmy Carter The plan had been the Tate Modern. Jen and I, best friends since one fateful April day in the fourth grade, were on our way to the third instalment in our day … Read More
“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow…” — Lawrence Clark Powell Just before heading off to bed last night, I got a tweet letting me know my good friend Dylan—of The Travelling Editor fame—had nominated me and four others to choose seven posts that represent our best [and sometimes worst] blogging moments. Although … Read More