The Spoon Drawer

If you are currently on a quest to commence your Christmas shopping ahead of everyone else and get it over with as soon as possible, then you are not alone. There have been reports that some shops have already started getting ready for Christmas and showcasing their festive ranges to over-eager shoppers. The recent emergence of the American traditions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the UK, has only increased the frenzy of commercialism surrounding Christmas in this country. From my own personal experience, many of my friends used Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purchase items for themselves as opposed to taking advantage of the generous discounts for their friends and loved ones. It appears that more and more people are shopping online for Christmas presents and this is only likely to increase in the future. With this in mind it is worth considering starting your Christmas shopping as early as possible in order to ensure that you  aren't  scrapping with ot...

Living in Britain is more often than not a little strange; it is possible to experience all four seasons in the space of a couple of days and last week was certainly no exception. Last weekend the whole of Sussex was basking in uninterrupted waves of blissful sunshine that reminded me more of the south of France. I cannot deny that I certainly am something of a sun-worshipper, and that is why whenever it is sunny I aim to be out and about, and if possible, relaxing on Brighton beach. For those of you who are reading this from outside of the UK, trust me when I say that making the most of the sun is a British necessity as you can never be sure when (if ever) it will return. I was more than aware that last weekend could well have been my final chance to feel the warm sun on my skin and that is why I headed down to Brighton marina with several friends of mine who are keen sailors. Despite living by the sea I do not posse...

There is something big going on in the city of Brighton & Hove, yet no one seems to understand exactly what it is or what it is doing here. We are continually told that it is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks in the UK , but Brighton residents seem to be unaware exactly what it will bring to the city and there are concerns exactly what the benefits are for the famously diverse south coast seaside resort. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rogersg/19754696283 It cannot be denied that over the centuries Brighton has developed somewhat of a reputation for building extravagant landmarks. We have the Price Regent’s lavish Royal Pavilion, and before that, the West Pier, one of three piers to have existed in the city, was certainly seen as a decadent luxury when it was built in 1866. Now it represents something of a location guide for both us Brightonians and tourists alike, representing both the coolness and quirkiness of our unique city. I am yet to encounter...

I am sure that you all remember that final week in June of this year; there was a belief that we were approaching one of the hottest summers on record and we were all eagerly anticipating our upcoming summer holidays. However, there is another reason why this hot and humid week sticks out in my mind. I clearly remember lounging in front of the television sipping on my first café au lait of the morning when a rather bizarre news story appeared. I was informed that a  toddler had her head shaved   during a hairdressing ‘role-play’ at a London nursery. I must admit that I was rather taken aback by the fact that a group of toddlers had been given hair clippers to play with, but then again, I seem to remember playing some equally bizarre games at school when I first moved to this country. In France we used to sing songs together and play games in the playground. However, when I came to England I remember being entrusted with a toy sword and encouraged to chase another c...

If you’re ever struggling to come up with suitable gift ideas for a certain chap you may know, it can be very telling to learn a bit about his favourite TV shows, comics, books, games, and films. There’s nothing better than seeing someone geek out over a franchise they love, and even better you’ll be showing that you know a bit about the lucky recipient in question. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/insidethemagic/ Of course, coming up with gift ideas for men is all subjective, but recently I’ve seen how obsessive my friends and even my family can get over whether Jon Snow will survive the latest ambush on Game of Thrones, or whether Heisenberg will survive the nefarious drug lords out to get him. The conclusion I’ve reached is that people are simply obsessed with the crazy lives of others, evidenced beyond fantasy media and in soul sapping shows such as Keeping up with the Kardashians. In any case, here’s some top  gift ideas for men   that are personal, ver...

After several difficult and challenging years, it appears that my faith in justice and humanity has finally been rewarded. In the last few weeks several individuals who appear to believe that the laws of the land somehow do not apply to them have finally got their comeuppance and are now facing British justice. The British seem to have built a reputation for themselves as being something of a country that believes in fair play, believes in playing by the rules and is an example for other countries around the world to admire and follow. The number of banking scandals since 2008 certainly puts that theory to the test and calls into question the actions of a select few within our society. It appears that this idealistic view of Britain is certainly being called into question and many are now feeling particularly angry and disillusioned at the continued austerity being imposed on the British people. This has been further amplified by the continued evasion of taxes by the larger co...

I've done a few festivals over the years and it’s always been a crash back to reality on the Tuesday. This year was no different and I can’t seem to shake the post-festival blues; it has been a whole month since I was partying on the Isle of Wight to classics like She’s So High – Blur and The Chain by the absolute legends Fleetwood Mac! My Highlights I thought a quick write-up of my time at The Isle of Wight Festival might help get it out my system. I managed to get a ticket last minute when a mate broke up with his girlfriend so it was all pretty manic and lastminute.com for me. I didn't realise how much actually goes on at Isle of Wight Festival. There were so many awesome other activities, as well as watching the music, that there was never a dull moment.  We got there on the Thursday when it opened and got a pretty decent pitch near these mental Irish blokes. The main stage wasn't open on the first day but some of the other stages were. We checked-out No...