I feel that sometimes when we live in a place for a long time, we would start taking things for granted, and stop noticing our surroundings. Yet if you talk to tourists or friends visiting from abroad, you are likely to be surprised by their discovery and knowledge about your home city/town/village [...]

 
It has been many years since I last visited Jazz Cafe in Camden. In recent years, I tend to go to 'proper' concerts at the Barbican and South Bank where I would sit quite still for hours. I think I have almost forgotten the joy of standing (and dancing) at a concert [...]

Sapphire Star, 2010

 
I am not sure why it took me so long to visit the 'Chihuly - Reflections on nature' exhibition at Kew Gardens, but I finally managed to catch it a few days before it ended. It was not the best day to visit Kew, but the autumn foliage made up [...]

Q & A with the director of Toxic Beauty
 
After seeing two powerful documentaries at the Raindance film festival, I thought to myself that we all have to be activists in this day and age. Recently when I met up with different friends, we would talk about how the world seems to be [...]

 
Although Colchester is only 50 miles from London, I have never visited this historic market town before. Regarded as Britain's oldest recorded town, it used to be the capital of Roman Britain, but it does not seem to attract as many visitors as Cambridge and Oxford. After visiting The Beth Chatto Gardens [...]

 
In the last few years, I became very interested in English gardens, and I tried to visit as many as possible during the summer/autumn months when the weather is more pleasant. Since I don't have a car anymore, I would have to plan ahead and constantly check the weather forecast. I am [...]

 
I have attended many group coastal walks/hikes in the past, like Seven Sisters (from Seaford to Eastbourne), Hastings circular, and Newhaven to Brighton... the coastal walks/hikes around the South East England are extremely popular with many meetup walking groups due to its proximity to London, and of course, the spectacular views.
It [...]

 
After my recent visit to the biotech hub Open Cell at the Shepherds Bush Market, I was keen to learn more about biodesign and its future. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long because at the London Design Festival this year, Open Cell organised an event called Biodesign Here Now at its [...]

 
Please Be Seated is a large-scale installation designed by Paul Cocksedge, and it is made from more than 1,000 scaffolding planks. Cocksedge collaborated with Essex-based high-end interiors company White & White to re-imagine and re-use the building wood. The curvy seating encouraged passerby to sit and relax with their books or lap tops, which [...]

 
Coal Drops Yard
 
This year, the ever-changing Kings Cross was chosen as the design district for the first time at the London design festival. Aside from the annual design trade show, DesignJunction, there were many exhibitions and activities taking place during the festival.
I received a trade preview invitation to visit Designjunction, so [...]