Saturday 6 December 2014

Spiral Notebook: When the world brings me my breakfast

I had a Waitrose moment the other day, which somewhat elevates the Tesco products that were its genesis.

I was de-stalking strawberries to put in my porridge when I was struck by the incongruity of summer fruits in a winter breakfast.

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Film review: Hello Carter (15)


Hello Carter
(15) 81mins
★★✩✩✩

According to the support notes to this film, Londoner Anthony Wilcox sold his house  and spent a year writing the script for Hello Carter, his full directorial debut.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Working Mum: The arty battleground has shifted to breakfast


GUEST BLOG
By Tabitha Ronson

First it was impossibly creative lunches. Mums with way too much time on their hands creating elaborate lunchbox artworks.

Sandwiches shaped like cartoon characters, animals, iconic buildings; salad and vegetables carved to resemble fauna and flora; food patched and pieced together to resemble colourful miniature works of art.

Thursday 27 November 2014

Spiral Notebook: What is the point of a council, if not this?

Recently Mayor Lutfur Rahman blew tens of thousands of pounds on a longshot attempt to save himself from humiliation.

Despite a High Court judge telling him that his claim against communities secretary Eric Pickles was "hopeless" he still opted for a second hearing.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Film review: Paddington (PG)


Paddington
(PG) 95mins
★★★★★

Clear the decks, grab the children, make a note - there's a new tradition elbowing its way into Christmas schedules.

Saturday 22 November 2014

Working Mum: Taking a Punch from little madam Judy

GUEST BLOG
By Tabitha Ronson

I was called in to see Master A's teacher at pick-up on Friday. Although small in stature, she has an almighty presence and is thoroughly intimidating.

She just has to look at me, with her withering stare, to reduce me to a quivering wreck. Heaven knows how my little boy survives in class.

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Book review: How We Got To Now, by Steven Johnson

BOOK
How We Got To Now
Steven Johnson (Penguin)
★★★✩✩

The world is rich with academics with a good turn of phrase exploring the history of ideas and innovations, making the mundane endlessly fascinating.

Monday 17 November 2014

Working Mum: My boy is a magnet for nasty critters

GUEST BLOG
By Tabitha Ronson

When I think we are safely over one thing where Master A's ailments are concerned along comes another.

I have spent hours researching Molluscum Contagiosum. It may sound like a spell cast by Harry Potter but this horrible little critter is not the stuff of fairytales.

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Film review: Third Person (15)


Third Person
(15) 137mins
★★★✩✩

There's something wrong here. You ask yourself, how come something that reeks of quality, with a quality cast and a quality writer-director reprising - structurally at least - his finest hour, feels so limp and insipid?