Things I Like That You Should Like Too

This weekend a friend recommended Taken by Trees to me. The solo project of Victoria Bergsman, formerly of the Concretes, whom I must admit I am ignorant of, other than having heard their name banded about a few times, Taken by Trees are subtle, lilting, and entirely enchanting. Combining the other worldliness of Natasha Khan with rays of sunshine and folk guitars, this is music to lift your spirits and indulge your inner Romantic poet to on a cold November evening. Even better, it is available on the wonderful Drowned in Sound to stream for free: http://drownedinsound.com/news/4137777-listen--exclusive-dis-stream-for-taken-by-trees-album-east-of-eden
Taken by Trees' official website is http://www.takenbytrees.com/ - worth a visit just for the beautiful photograph used as background, which must insipire a desire to see the world and be amazed even in those with less of a predilection for travel than me.

Which brings me on to my second recommendation for the world at large: Where's Cool.
I am biased, being a major contributor and content editor, but this really is one of the best travel websites out their for young, hip travellers on a budget. If you're looking for the coolest, cheapest, most interesting, unusual or cutting edge places to go, things to see an bars to drink in in major western cities, then www.wherescool.com is the site for you. All my favourite places are there, as well as those of a few thousand other contributors. If you disagree or think something is missing, you can join up and easily add it yourself. The layout and graphics are pretty sweet too - and whilst a lot of the world isn't covered yet, it's still early days, and the US and much of Europe is chock full of awesome spots for everyone to enjoy.

Exciting times

The blog/article I wrote for the Guardian on life in Edinburgh is up on their website, woot!

http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/edinburgh-in-a-day.jsp

Retrograde wanderlust

I've been doing a lot of writing about Rome the past few days, which has involved a lot of thinking back to my trips there, as well as looking through my (embarassingly amateurish) photos of it. The more I think about it, the more I love it and long to be there. I can't imagine a city more amazing than Rome. Don't get me wrong, I'm not arrogant enough to assume that in the vast areas of the globe that haven't yet been graced by my presence that there aren't a million wonderful places that possibly have as-yet-unfound places in my heart, but for now, Rome to me is paradise. This may well have something to do with the typically grey, wet weather outside, but all I can think about it wondering through ancient streets surrounded by pastel coloured buildings, and the smell of freshly baked pizza and focaccia (and, yes, traffic fumes), seeing huge churches or ancient pillars looming out around a corner, sitting in the sunshine on Piazza Navona, the Campo dei Fiori or somewhere in Trastevere having a glass or four of wine... Mmm.

And in the few minutes not consecrated to dreams of the eternal city, I can't help but wish I somehow had enough money to go skiing. Grenoble may not have been my favourite place, but the sight of mountains, the possibility of skiing on fresh powder that falls away like icing sugar in the sparkling sunshine and crisp winds, all less than an hour away... just amazing.

One day.