The OLRC: All in Good Taste

Those of you headed for a day out in Kingston Upon Thames may be interested in the Old London Road Café, situated at 52, Old London Road. It is but five minutes walk from Kingston train station, on the same stretch of ground as the famed red telephone box installation. With its bare wooden floors and spare furnishings, the OLRC interior resembles a cool hangout from the 1950’s, the sort that might have been filled with ultra-fashionable types sipping coffee, one time. But OLRC welcomes people of all ages and configurations – gracious! They even let me in: and did I enjoy it? I downed a delicious vegan melt, with vegan cheese and bacon that tasted of, er, cheese and bacon, all served with a heavenly side salad. Bathroom facilities are in situ, though limited. But Kingston town centre is just a walk away. So, next time you pass this way, give the fast-foodies and chains a miss, and enjoy this slice of heaven on Old London Road, Kingston.

From their collection to mine: Cyberjammies

As a fan of all things nocturnal, I spend more time in nightwear than any other attire, in fact, I possess more downtime garments than any other type. And like any other fanatic, I am ever on the lookout to add to my collection. Today, this is why I am flying the flag for Cyberjammies, a brand that came to my notice when I happened upon a delectable Cyberjammies night shirt in a local store. Such is the quality and style of the piece, that I’ve since added this nightie from their Nora Rose collection to my collection. (Alas, I do not look like the model in the picture, but one can hope.) In a world where the majority of feminine bed garments offer little choice between looking like a dominatrix or a Victorian matron, Cyberjammies simply ticks all the boxes: attractive, comfortable and functional, and within reach of the average feminine pocket. The garments are made of Modal, a plant-based material, in combo with either viscose or cotton, which feels great on the skin. And they are available online. Oh, and they cater for men and children, also. Check out their site for an eye-catching catching collection of night shirts, nighties, jammies, dressing gowns, loungewear, slippers and much more. Over to you.
https://cyberjammies.com/collections/women

The Memento Mori

I have recently watched Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skulls and oh, what glorious fun it is! In addition to the evergreen Harrison Ford, the plot draws together a number of strands involving archaeology and mythology and intriguingly, the crystal skull. In the narrative, there is at least one reference to explorer FA Mitchell-Hedges, who claimed to have found an iconic crystal skull in South America in the 1920’s. Controversy surrounds the skull: Mitchell-Hedges did not present it to the world until the 1940’s and it has since been found to bear modern tool markings. Whatever the truth, there is no doubting the emotive response to a skull. The most fundamental part of our anatomies, it encases our thinking organ and four out of five of our sense organs. No wonder then that devoid of our fleshly bits, it has become the symbol for death, horror and Halloween. The Mexican nation has placed it as the central symbol for their Day of the Dead rituals and in the seventeenth century, artists made it the centre piece of the memento mori. You know the type of painting, a lush arrangement of luxury (by seventeenth-century standards) items, books, musical instruments, jewels and, plonked in their midst, a great and grinning skull, a reminder of the end we all come to. On that cheerful note, I will finish. Look out for my next gothic preamble.