Roaming. Autumnal Colours.

Shootin' Gallery: Leaves. Orange.

Glossy. Flying High.

Many asked why, but if nothing else it was an astounding feat undertaken by Austrian Felix Baumgartner. As he plummeted to earth he broke the sound barrier and gave us a spectacular  perspective of the planet. This cover is from Spanish magazine El Mundo, and it's pretty damned good.

Roaming. Really?

Shootin' Gallery: Statements. Walls.

Doodler. Oprah Gets A Beard.

The beard continues to be the most popular form of Doodle in the trash mags. Oprah's hirsute look is bang on trend with styled goatee and 5pm stubble seen here in New Idea.

Glossy. Hector.

Hector is a new magazine. It has a bold and original cover but it's expensive at £15. Each new issue is named after a different man making Hector a one-off. Interesting concept. Can't wait to flip its pages.

Good Art #7. How Are You Feeling Now?

One of my favourite exhibitions this year is David Shrigley's How Are You Feeling Now? Hearty chuckles were had as I wandered from room to room exploring drawings, sculptures and installations. I love Shrigley's witty dark drawings, and I loved the gob-smackingly funny video installation about a would be art collector and her negotiations with both artist and bank manager in her pursuit to own a dreadful piece of art. Hilarious. But for me the stand put piece is the life model and studio (pictured). Punters could, if they wished, sit themselves down and draw the life model. The resulting drawings are pinned to the wall for all to see. How Are You Feeling Now is showing at Manchester's buzzy Cornerhouse.

Found. Uncle Peter.

Our family photos are kept in a plastic bag by my aunty. Like all hordes, they're enthralling to sit and go through. Who was that, what are they doing and just why was my grandmother knitting as she strolled down the street. This is Uncle Peter as a young boy. I remember him as a smoking poker player and a man who moved from boarding house to boarding house.

Pie Report. Morello Cherry Pie.

At a bargain one pound fifty, this morello cherry pie from Robinsons Bakery's Manchester market stall was downright scrumptious. The near perfect pastry was light and crisp encasing a deep red cherry filling packed with flavour and actual cherries. Yum! I wished I'd been more piggy and ordered myself a couple of these taste sensations. This is the cherry pie that all future cherry pies will be measured against. I'm sure it would pass the Mary Berry test on The Great British Bake Off.

Morello Cherry Pie

4.75 Pastry
5.00 Filling
5.00 Tastiness
4.75 Structure
5.00 Value

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED | 4.90

Glossy. Tatler's Prince Harry.

I can't wait to find out how Prince Harry managed to be Tatler's Man of the Year. If nakedness is criteria, then can we expect a Kate cover soon?

Found. U R Fat.

I'm not sure if this crazed vampire means cool or overweight, or what the deal is with the sprouting hair? The look of a Newcastle hood?

Doodler. Choke The Bowler.

The doodle is discreet here, a Coca-Cola girl with a Hitler moustache and monocle on the back page of a 1960s National Geographic. The speech bubble reads "Choke the bowler", and I have no idea what that means.

Roaming. Waiting.

Shootin' Gallery: London. Red Phones.

First 13. Highbury & Islington.

Shootin' Gallery: Islington. London. Thirteen.

Glossy. Poodle.

Nothing needs to be said about Anne Claire de Breij's cover for Volkskrant; it's brilliant. Reminding me of Christopher Guest's insightful film Best In Show, the colourful characters in Anne's portraits give new meaning to owners looking like their dogs.

Spin. Alison Moyet At Ronnie Scott's.

Musical highlights don't get much better than this. Performing album tracks from Hometime and The Turn, Alison Moyet had her audience in the palm of her hand last night at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho. My amazing friend Paul bought me a ticket to the first night of Alison's Rare and Obscured tour, and wow, what a performance. With voice in fine form, Alison belted out unexpected tunes including Can't Say It Like I Mean It, Ski and Home throwing in cover versions of Momma Momma by Melanie, Almost Blue by Elvis Costello and others including a Kirsty MacColl track. Alison's perfectionism, warm banter and charming presence had us all in awe. She deserves far more attention than the dearth of forgettable pop acts unfathomably sitting at the tops of music charts.

Roaming. New North Road.

Shootin' Gallery: Islington. London. Signs.

Good Art #6. Spazio di Luce.

Giuseppe Penone's Spazio di Luce (Space of Light) is the current Bloomberg Commission at Whitechapel Gallery. I've been back twice to experience its undeniable presence and golden beauty, with a third trip on the cards. It's an exquisite piece. The intricately detailed larch tree stretches twelve metres, with its bronze segments suggesting animal forms. That's probably just me as I saw a herd of reindeer enter in single file as if on a catwalk. Maybe that's my memory of camping in Swedish forest over the summer where herds of these magical beasts were common. Peaceful, yet forceful, Spazio de Luce makes the pulse rate through stillness. It's one of those works where words can't describe its wonder adequately; it needs to be experienced. The good news is it'll be on display though to August 2013.

Found. Yesteryear Glamour.

Finding something in a book or magazine always gives me a little excitement spike. It's as if you are connecting with someone you'll never meet or know, and you begin to wonder about what they may be like. Finding a picture, drawing or other object is similar to receiving an unexpected gift; it's the gesture that you love. I always get a kick out of this drawing. It's one of three I have, and they were found when I was learning to draw.

Pie Report. Pie & Mash.

After walking past the Hoxton Pie & Mash shop for weeks now, I finally mustered the courage to enter yesterday knowing an eel pie may be in the offing. It was my lucky day, they didn't have any so I went with a traditional beef pie with mash and sauce at a bargain £3.48. It fared well, and if atmosphere and entertainment were criteria, it would have scored even higher. From behind her marble counter, the pie girl dished mash, danced and chatted to punters about music throwing in the occasional naughty word. More about pie girl in a later post.

Pie & Mash

4.25 Pastry
3.75 Filling
4.25 Tastiness
4.50 Structure
4.75 Value

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED | 4.30