I’m looking forward to Mayor Ken’s upcoming announcement on how the TfL is going to reduce the temperature on the Tube.

Tube officials warned this week that if temperatures are high this summer, we are (predictably) going to be even more parboiled down the Tube.

A senior Tube source said: “This summer, if the weather is as hot as some are predicting, it will be difficult down there.

“We are going to be completely honest with passengers. We have a strategy for mitigating the worst of the hot weather but it is going to take years to implement.”

Pricy and hellish during rush hour, I’d say just avoid the tube except on lazy afternoons. Back to the bike, I’m afraid.

As part of trying to make sense of the virtual world beyond my role in it, I’ve decided to hook up with some folks at Chinwag who organise events and get togethers in London for folks to learn about New Media and how to work in the digital age. I’ve also met up with FreeRange who also get up to some pretty cool stuff. Then there’s the never ending flow of agencies and social networking sites that want to meet me or get me to sign up to some other site or another. Where do people get time for all this? I can’t even seem to make the time to see my best mates more than once every 3 months or so.

I found this on the BBC Blog and think we should be carrying it on our site, so until its added as a link or until Alan is released please click the button above to show your support.

Sean

Aside from the world’s best theatre, live music, galleries and comedy, what makes London great is its open spaces. I spent yesterday walking with a girlfriend around Hampstead Heath and we both agreed that it’s pretty hard to beat a London park on a hot, sunny day. Everyone seemed to be there too – from families pushing buggies up the steep hills to foreign tourists taking in the majestic panoramic view at the top of Parliament Hill to kids kicking around a football and groups of mates having a picnic. The sun was beaming down on us, the kites were flying high, each one trying to out rival the other for height or colour or size. It felt like an August day and that the whole of London had decided to go outside. As my friend pointed out, ‘I don’t think anyone quite realises global warming is here to stay. We’re all still behaving like this is the only sunny day we’ll get for the rest of the year.’

Hey’s it’s London Book Fair week when a whole bunch of publishing types get together to buy and sell books to other publishing types. This is particularly exciting for me as I’ve got my first and my forthcoming book up for translation rights. Plus I get to put on my skimpy dress and high heels for my publisher’s annual party. Last year I had a grand old time putting my foot in my mouth when I asked a famous athlete why he was there. He said he had written a book about rowing across the Atlantic to which my considered response was, ‘Cool.’ Then I mentioned something about wanting to go on a date with Linford Christie to a guy who turned out to be his former agent and informed me he was married. Oops!
(more…)

In a last minute rush before going to the States for Christmas, I ran into Lush, Covent Garden to get some cheapie Christmas presents. Upon paying, I was presented with a Golden Ticket, which entitled me to a free mini facial OR hand massage. I tucked the ticket away for a rainy day.

That day came last week, when I scheduled an appointment to redeem my goodies. Now, I know how these things work. They get you in there with some flawless skinned model who attributes her beauty to the product. So, I was prepared. I was only going to buy some face cleanser as I was out. Nothing more.

But, after spending time with the lovely girl doing the facial (she also did a hand massage while the face mask she’d applied was doing it’s magic), I was sold. All of Lush’s products are freshly made, and they smell good enough to eat. I ended up buying the face mask, two cleansers and some hand lotion, all of which were cheaper than my normal fare at Boots.

Lush is in the Covent Garden Piazza.

So…went along to the debut live gig of 89 Turns on Friday. I’m supposed to be an impartial journalist and all (ha!), but, boy howdy, did I shake my bootie to the beat.

Walking in to the Prince in Brixton, I noticed a good crowd, but they all seemed to be there for the gastro pub food as opposed to the band. And maybe they were. But when the band started playing, the dance floor filled up, and several girls saw fit to do homage to Dirty Dancing…with each other. This, of course, got the boys up dancing as well.

The band totally connected with the crowd and were called back for an Encore. Georgina belted out “Loaded,” and that’s when I noticed that the crowd was singing along.

Congratulations to the band for the success of thier first live gig. Many, many re-turns.

Some kids who stole/bought a stolen laptop from Topshop at London Fashion Week have unknowingly had their photos uploaded to Flikr by the laptop’s photobooth software.

Check out the photos here and see if we can’t squish these thieves.

OR it’s a cheap marketing ploy from Topshop, in which case I will pee in their fitting room since viral marking irritates me.

Hey kids, don’t steal!

I cannot believe that London won. “What?” you might ask. “What did we win?” Well, it seems that our transit system has been voted number 1 in the Virgin Vacations “Top 11 Underground Transit systems throughout the World” Contest. It seems that we Londoners are getting priced off the tube to make room for the tourists who can afford it. We locals can take the bus.

Well, I tell you, I *will* take the bus, Mr. Ken Livingston. With an Oyster card, the bus is nearly 4 times cheaper than the tube. And, I can actually *see* London (and, what a beautiful city it is, but crowded, very crowded). Why, I can pay £250 for an all day pass instead of the £14* most of the tourist bus companies charge. I will even demand that you make those buses run on bio-fuel from sustainable sources.

As for the Tube: I hear from good sources that you are underway on a massive project to cool the tube. I also hear that it will be environmentally friendly. I guess the tourist dollars will pay for that.

Actually, I haven’t been on the tube in a while. Perhaps it really has changed a lot.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that Virgin is a British company?

Thanks to Prince Roy and The Taipai Kid

*year 2000 prices