Lunchtime

One of the best things about living in Spain, no sorry I'll start again; the best thing about living in Spain is the food. Lunchtime on Friday was another reminder of this fact - not that I need reminding, it is never far from my thoughts or my stomach - at a local restaurant called Cal Boter.

This is the place where Catalan super chef Sergi Arola started at aged 14; had never noticed it until walking past on my way to the doctor's on Wednesday. Traditional Catalan fare, well cooked and in pleasant surroundings, all for €9,00 (three courses and that flask of wine you can see in the photo all included). As a famous Austrian once said, "I'll be back."

2008

....and Liverpool is European City of Culture. I have to admit I never thought I would see the day, but hats off to my home town. The Guardian is nosing around the 'Pool now that the word 'culture' and the city are permitted to appear in the same sentence, and they have found some things of interest. My favourites include the - GP's look away now - fry-up blog and the 'Liverpool Stories' viog; particularly the short films about my old local cinema The Plaza, and Bootle, close to where I grew up.

Santa's sack

Has it really been that long....wait a minute, that was last time. Well, yes it was, it has been, but, hopefully, it will not be so in the future. Christmas at casa Curve was as eventful as ever, and was probably the only time that the following have ever rubbed shoulders in Santa's sack; David Bowie, Robert Millar, Patrick Moore, Ted Danson, Robert Townsend, Stars of the Lid, Larry Hagman, Victoria Principal, Rick Stein, A.R.Kane, Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly Le Brock, David Attenborough, Rosanna Arquette and Madonna.