Captivity and Freedom – Marcus Price on His Paintings
Artist and psychotherapist Marcus Price has exhibited at the Mick Jagger Centre, Tunbridge Wells and Senate House. In 2020, he published an anthology of poems and paintings, Asleep on the Volcano. Marcus is currently showing his new exhibition Captivity and Freedom at the Tavistock Centre in London. At the private view last week, I asked him about […]
Being a Vegetarian in Morocco
Travelling as a strict vegetarian comes with a lot of compromise. Some regions are so meat-heavy that you can forget about sampling the local cuisine. But not in Morocco! This country is a low-key vegetarian paradise and I can’t recommend it enough! Read below about the meat-free delicacies you can find there. Tagine Also spelled tajine, […]
Ouarzazate, the “Gateway to the Sahara”
Ouarzazate isn’t among the tourist hotspots of Morocco. At most, visitors stay for a quick stopover, but many just drive through it. It’s fair to say that, unless you’re a film buff, you wouldn’t include it in your itinerary. I admit that before my trip, I didn’t even know of this city. However, tempted by […]
Patty Pravo Live at Teatro La Versiliana – Ho Provato Tutto Tour
Patty Pravo is testing the patience of her fans, with the longest gap between albums yet (6 years and counting). But in the meantime, she’s far from resting on her laurels, regularly appearing on TV and touring fairly extensively post-pandemic. Only in 2023, I saw her live in Rome with the Minaccia Bionda programme. This […]
Mural Spotting in Tirana, Albania – a Street Art Lover’s Paradise!
I could go on and on listing reasons why I love Tirana, but today, I’ll focus on just one: street art. The Albanian capital is known for its colourful buildings and murals which pop up even in the least likely places. All this thanks to Edi Rama – once Mayor of Tirana, now Albania’s Prime […]
In a Corridor Garden with Jolene Liam
I met Jolene Liam over a year ago, thanks to a mutual artist friend Aleks Faust. We talked about a possible artshow, and I remember thinking how for away it was. But it’s come around quickly, and Jolene is now showing her exhibition Corridor Garden at the Tavistock Centre! Corridor Garden The exhibition draws its title […]
Brutalist Chișinău: Abandoned Hotels, Spooky Circus & More!
To an average tourist, Chișinău may seem lacking in typical sights. But if you’re a brutalist architecture buff, it’s a whole different story! Being part of the former USSR, this city has some real gems of Soviet modernism. And you don’t need to venture too far from the centre to find them! Here are some of […]
The Least Visited Capital in Europe? Two Days in Chișinău
In Europe, lesser-known places are always a better pick for me than tourist hotspots. Somehow I’m more attracted to countries you don’t hear much about, and Moldova fits right into that description. Its capital, Chișinău, doesn’t have the best opinion – but that’s exactly why it appealed to me! The least visited European capital? Sounds exciting! […]
Day Trip to Tiraspol, Transnistria – a Phantom Country
Some of the appeal of going to Moldova is visiting its eastern part called Transnistria, often described as a “country that doesn’t exist” and “the last bastion of the Soviet Union”. Yes, hardly sounds like a tourist hotspot. If anything, it will put some off. But not me! I was curious to see if it really […]
Hello from Banja Luka, an Underrated Bosnian City
It made me chuckle to see “Banja Luka” when browsing flights some time ago. The name sounds almost identical to the Polish word “banialuki” which means something absurd or nonsensical; tall tales and fanciful stories. I was intrigued and decided to visit it when I’m in the Balkans again. After 3 days in Banja Luka, […]
Judith Symons on Her Garden Drawings and Abstract Prints
Throwback time! This time in 2023, I hosted a solo exhibition by artist Judith Symons at the Tavistock Centre. Judith presented two different sets of works “united by a passion for pattern and colour”: pastel drawings of domestic London gardens and abstract screen prints on fabric. The big artworks brought so much life into the art space, […]
Shura Live at Bush Hall, London, 2025
Five years! That’s how long ago Shura last played in London, which is hard to believe. I blame it on the pandemic. It may now be a distant memory, but it has surely distorted our sense of time. Or at least mine. Anyway, the iconic “millesbian” is finally back with a new album and two […]