Notes on…
A love letter to lonely hearts ads
Published in Britain for at least 330 years, lonely hearts ads are now a rare sight – driven to the…
The disposable vape ban has changed nothing
I felt a mixture of annoyance and relief when I bought my first non-disposable Elf Bar last weekend, ahead of…
How to survive a Chinese banquet
When heading to China on a business trip, I was somewhat bemused to be warned about the banquets I would…
Typos are an unintentional delight
Afriend of mine was once delighted to get a job at the Radio Times, where he ‘corrected’ a golfing picture…
Should gentlemen wear pearls?
There are few phrases more terrifying than ‘men’s fashion’. It reminds me of yuppies in salmon-coloured jorts on their way…
The conservatism of Thomas the Tank Engine
Ringo Starr is mostly known as the second or third best drummer in the Beatles. But for me – as…
The art of a great pub quiz
‘What’s the capital of Albania?’ The correct answer is, of course: ‘Who cares?’ If you’re at a quiz and this…
My battle to avoid boredom
Four days ago I was so bored that I considered starting a terrorist groupuscule. I had no demands, no ideology,…
Admit it: Creme Eggs are vile
Every Easter, the Creme Egg dominates supermarket shelves. It is, Cadbury’s marketing department loves to remind us, ‘the nation’s favourite…
Why I said no to marrying my cousin
There’s a joke that does the rounds about a Pakistani couple who get a divorce. After their union is dissolved,…
The truth about ninjas
One of my favourite scenes in Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino’s black comedy martial arts film, is the meeting of Beatrix…
The curious language of coins
Lewis Carroll used to travel with purses divided into separate compartments, each containing the exact number of coins he’d need…
Bring back beef dripping!
For several years, a debate has raged (mainly on Twitter, now X) over whether animal fats are actually better for…
How ‘Boom Boom’ are you?
Do you Boom Boom? Or are you just Booming? Can Boomers Boom Boom or is it just for Zoomers? Can…
Why possum beats cashmere
In 1990, an exotic Swiss-Canadian teenager of purportedly Habsburgian lineage descended on Cambridge in a cloud of cashmere. His wardrobe…
How Shrove Tuesday inspired the animal welfare movement
In some countries Shrove Tuesday (the day of merrymaking before the rigours of Lent) developed into a ‘carnival’ that lasted…
What does your name say about you?
In 2015, an orthopaedic surgeon called Limb, with three other doctors called Limb, wrote a paper on whether people’s names…
Why Gen Z worships the pickle
If something can be squeezed into a jar with brine, Polish grandmas will do it. Walk into the kitchen of…
What makes a good obituary?
My obituaries habit gets ever stronger. I find there’s nothing as inspiring or instructive or entertaining as reading a few…
Gossip is good for you… so I’m told
The Pope hates gossip. In his Christmas message to his Vatican advisers last year, Francis warned that it is ‘an…
Confessions of a Costco Guy
Those who use TikTok, or are familiar with Ed Davey’s dance routines on social media, may have heard of the…
How to serve smelt
Donald Trump has form with the smelt. In his 2016 presidential run, he complained that California’s authorities were prioritising the…
Claudia Winkleman understands the power of a cape
The cape is having a moment thanks to the Highland wardrobe of Claudia Winkleman, who is currently presenting The Traitors…
The unwritten rules of visitors books
Two things come to mind when I think about visitors books. The first is the memory of leaving the home…
What carols owe to Martin Luther
It’s 500 years since Martin Luther, along with the preacher Paul Speratus, put together the first Protestant hymn book, the…
