Syncopated rhythms, extended harmonies and sprawling solos. Jazz is a special breed of music that breaks the rules, goes off script and challenges you to expect the unexpected. It also has the power to reduce stress, pain and anxiety, and spark creativity. Jazz emerged from the southern US city of New Orleans in the early …
The lights dim. The music hushes. The room hums with expectation. Drinks are sipped, pens are clicked and pieces of paper are shuffled in anticipation. It’s time to start the quiz. In the UK, the pub quiz is at once both light-hearted and deadly serious. It’s an activity that dates back at least 50 years …
Don’t sweat the small stuff, they say. Look at the bigger picture. Don’t get bogged down in details. But we’re on a rock spinning in outer space: everything’s small stuff. Our entire existence, from first breath to last, is a whisper. As individuals, we don’t matter. Our only significance is as a part of the …
It’s 8am in Querétaro, Central Mexico, and I’m following a miniature schnauzer as she charts a course through the city with her nose. We’ve chased pigeons in the plaza, disrupted the line of nuns filing into the Convento de la Santa Cruz and trekked as far as the mirador with its view of the aqueduct …
Canals are an often overlooked – yet deeply significant – part of the cultural landscape. They pass through urban sprawl and peaceful countryside, providing an opportunity to pause, reflect and embrace the unhurried rhythms of life. Once bustling arteries that connected industrial towns and cities during their commercial peak, canals worldwide have undergone a remarkable …
Two weeks into my first magazine job, 24 years ago, my editor sent me on a press trip to Paris. Setting off before dawn on the Eurostar, the remit was to interview world-renowned language teacher, the late Michel Thomas, en route. Thomas coaxed long-forgotten French out of me in the most astonishing way. And the …
You’ve probably seen the word ‘sheeple’ used about people who unquestioningly follow the herd. It’s used as an insult, in its presumption that there’s nothing worse than a sheep for blindly going along with the crowd. What about you? Have you ever unquestioningly played follow the leader? Most people have. Even if you rebel against …
There’s nothing quite like curling up somewhere cosy – perhaps with a snug blanket and hot drink – to get lost in a good book. For many people, reading for pleasure is an evening activity and a way of unwinding and calming the mind after the busyness of the day. Perhaps you like to settle …
You climb off the train onto a dark station platform. It’s lit by a few wonky bulbs, with a broken sign announcing your destination. It’s the end of the line, and there are no more options left. Welcome, my friend, to the last resort. This probably isn’t a place you wanted to end up. The …
When you think of the world’s best-known surfing hotspots, these might be some of the things that spring to mind. Geographical features are less likely to get a look-in, yet they dictate how waves approach the coastline from deeper waters to create the best surfing conditions. What makes good waves for surfing? There are three …
