3 breakfasts down…

First one – Akuri at Dishoom. Amazing breakfast (including the englishified sausage, bacon, tomatoes…)

 Brioche and Cafe au Lait… just at work.

This isn’t my photo – but I had the same breakfast at Breakfast club and it was gooood.

Huevos Rancheros.

Comedy#2. Steve Richards, @ The Park Theatre, Rock and Roll Politics, July 6th 2014

Super cool gig in a super cool venue. I’d always looked in at The Park Theatre when I lived in Finsbury Park, but I never saw anything that took my fancy. So it was nice to see Steve Richards was booked there, the compere we’d seen at the TEDxHouseofparliament a couple of weeks previous.

Steve Richards talked about the discourse of politics. He was fantastic. He talked about the Shakespearian tragedy and comedy of politics, and the unfortunate inauthenticity of today’s politicians. Favourite anecdote had to be about Pastygate and Cameron’s attempt to prove he’d eaten one.

Comedy#1. Stewart Lee, @ The Soho Theatre, A Room With A Stew Work-in-progress show, July 5th 2014

I’d been working in Sweden the week of this gig, and flew into Heathrow late afternoon – so it was touch and go whether I’d get to Soho in time for this. But I needn’t have worried – the taxi driver hotfooted it back to central London so quickly, I beat Soph to the theatre.

Stewart Lee is hands down the best comedian I’ve seen to date. He deftly switches between egotistical snobbery and humbleness/intimacy and as an audience, you’re not sure at the start of each quip whether he’ll take the voice of Stewart Lee ‘the comedian’ or Stewart Lee ‘the man behind the comedian.’ His entire act is a rollercoaster – you can’t tell which way he’ll turn. I saw his show Carpet Remnant World last year, and can’t wait to see the full show this year when he tours it.

25.

Twenty five.

Quarter of a century.

I really should stop doing these silly little challenges.

Last year was tough, but really fun – so I’m going to stick with mixing it up between blank lists and formed lists.

So the challenges this year are….

25 Comedy Acts

I’ve read quite a bit online and in the trade press about planners nicking insights from comedians. I don’t really think it’s a bad thing. They’re great at digging out observations and insights into people’s behaviour – it seems only right that I make comedy gigs one of my challenges this year. If I can pick up some insights, great. If I can work out how to better mine for them myself, even better. Rather than plan all 25 and then try and tick them off throughout the year – I’m just going to see if I can complete the list before next year.

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25 Breakfasts from around the world

Breakfasts from across the globe could be a fun one. I think breakfast really gives a window onto the personality of a country’s cuisine, so hopefully I’ll learn quite a bit about some countries I haven’t travelled to (and some I have…) Here’s the list that I’m going to try and tick off this year. It might change a bit, but I’m fine with that:

1. Egypt – Ful medames
2. Spain – Pan Con Tomate
3. Costa Rica – Gallo Pinto
4. Phillipines – Tapsilog
5. China – Mantou and Congee
6. Japan – Rice, Miso, Umeboshi and Green tea
7. India – Akuri
8. Mexico – Huevos Rancheros
9. Australia – Vegemite
10. France – Brioche and Cafe au lait
11. Ethiopia – FitFit
12. Poland – Scrambled egg, kielbasa, potato pancakes
13. USA – pancakes, syrup, blueberries, bacon, and grits
14. The Netherlands – Hagelslag, chocoladevlokken, chocoladepasta and bread
15. Turkey – Beyaz Peynir and menemen
16. Greece – Yoghurt, honey, grapes, fresh bread, hot milk
17. Iceland – Hafragrautur and Lysi
18. Thailand – Khao Neow Moo Ping
19. Russia – Oladi, sour cream, caviar
20. Columbia – Changua
21. Alaska – Smoked salmon hash, reindeer meat, eggs
22. Scotland – Full Scottish Breakfast ((inc. haggis and tattiecakes)
23. Ireland – Full Irish Breakfast (inc. white pudding and soda bread)
24. Wales – Full Welsh Breakfast (inc. laverbread & oatmeal and cockles)
25. England – Full English Breakfast

25 Whiskys

As beers was so much fun last year, I thought it might be quite a nice challenge to take on a spirit instead. So I’ve decided to try whiskies. I’m going to make sure I get a pretty good split from around the globe; 10 or so Scotch single malts, 5 or so American bourbons/ryes, 5 from Ireland and 5 from Japan. Blank list again:

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