Have your pet immortalised in a fine art oil painting

This remarkable specimen of a flyer arrived through the NW London mail slot today. Indication of an overly affluent neighbourhood? Maybe. Hard to believe, but this offer does seem genuine and is not a parody.

Well, I suppose if you can afford a gold collar for your pet, the least you can do is get a fine art oil painting commissioned. Even if it risks inviting serious ridicule in these times of financial woe.

Now why does this gold-digging doggie remind me of the man himself Tony Soprano's ludicrous attempt at immortality through art:



So all you cat lovers out there, this is your chance to portray your pet's unique personality in a painting you will love and cherish forver. Likeness is even guaranteed. What are you waiting for?

Ridicule aside, perhaps the author is just a poor art student trying to make ends meet, happy to have chanced upon an untapped market?

Taipei teppanyaki: Purchasing power and quality of life

The price/quality ratio of food in Taiwan must rank among the world's top. A recent excellent 'light' lunch at a teppanyaki restaurant in Taipei was food for thought.

The meal started off with a salad, then a garlic bread with soup. Followed by fish, king prawn, mushrooms and broccoli - then the mains of two juicy slices of sirloin. Add a plate of bean sprouts and finish off with the dessert of fruits and "lapper" (no clue what is the English word for this pancake/waffle hybrid also popular in Norway). And yes, the after meal milk tea. Impeccable service and presentation all for £10, other places will sport versions with less items for as low as £5.


Enjoying this quality offering brought out thoughts on what money can get you in Taipei compared to London. Naturally a Londoner can count on a higher income after tax. However, what will those extra pounds actually buy? The average citizen of Taipei can enjoy a much cheaper AND better diet, not least in terms of quality and healthiness. In addition to restaurants, also housing is vastly cheaper and frequently more modern. In short, the local purchasing power for a person in Taipei is greater than that of the Londoner.


Verifying this on the useful Numbeo site provides interesting results. The local purchasing power of a Londoner is indeed 22% lower. A huge part of this is of course due to the certifiable insane rental prices in London, but also aspects like local transportation costs being six (!) times higher must make a dent. It gets worse when you consider the decrepit state of the stuffy London Underground with frequent delays and cancellations compared with the super clean, air-conditioned MRT (Mass Rapid Transportation) in Taipei.

So is life in the west then, still the best? Maybe not, but there are of course other more intangible features of London to which Taipei cannot aspire. London will always remain the more cosmopolitan metropolis with a world class cultural scene, for one.

Industrial eating at The Wapping Project

I am a sucker for inventive renewal of old industrial properties, turning defunct factories into libraries, museums, shopping centres or restaurants as in the case of the London-based Wapping Project. Located close to the canals of St. Catherine's Docks, the project is an amazing mix of restaurant, bar and art gallery.

You eat under a high, bricked ceiling surrounded by the machinery of the hydraulic power station. A magnificent space and best of all, the food is of a very high standard, easily makes my top five in London. A bit out of the way, but the Project as well as the interesting walk through the docks make it a strongly recommended outing.

"Tonight Whites only pay a fiver"

It was a Friday night in the posher parts of London nightlife. Walking past a club, the very friendly tout approached our diverse group of near dozen people, promising a discount to the Caucasians, seemingly oblivious to the fact some of us were Asians.

"You pay only five, cause on a Friday we like 40/30/30, and now it is more like 20/40/40". When asked the meaning of these numbers, he eagerly explained it meant the percentage distribution of Whites, Blacks and Asians! Needless to say, a rather surprising concept in multicultural London.

The tout? He was Pakistani.