100 Thing That Make Cambridge What It Is...

So this month's explorer magazine is not only their Christmas issue but also the 100th edition they have published. Explorer is a freebie lifestyle magazine for Cambridge and the surrounding area, the usual kind of fluff, but distinguished from similar competitors by the fact they usually have nice high quality arty photos of the local area. As a 100th edition special they have put together a list of 100 things that make Cambridge what it is, a fairly daring undertaking on any ones part as no matter how you slice it you are probably going to wind someone up. Not such a good move when you're livelihood is based on other people advertising with you.

The magazine is usually well worth a browse through and has filled many idle moments for me as I have sat waiting in one the city's many watering holes for friends to arrive. The "one hundred things that make Cambridge" list however is a slightly baffling, surreal, idiosyncratic and amusing collections. I can only assume they were trying so hard to find things that wouldn't fall too strongly either side of the town V's gown divide that they found themselves walking some kind of weird alternate twilight tightrope Cambridge that lives between the two.

Anyway number one in their list of things in no particular order is "cows" not the first thing I would imagine that springs to mind for many people when they think of this ancient university town. I shouldn't be so hard though as you work your way through the rest of the list all of our favourites get a mention from Mill Road to Mitchams Corner. I particularly liked #64 "Cambridge eccentrics - There’s a lot of them about. And they’re probably mostly Nobel-prize winning physicists or something...". I suspect there may well be more "or somethings" than nobel prize winners, though with the city's ratio of mad scientists and absent minded professors you do get fairly good value on the nobel prize winner front. Still you can't help but wish they had grasped whimsy with both hands and embraced a few more of the off kilter things that make life around here so great, but it is the season of good will, so to all you somethings out there, enjoy everything Cambridge has to offer this happy inoffensive non-denominational capitalist winter solstice gift giving holiday and have a great new year.

Mill Road Photo Book

Here's a little something we spotted this week for all you lovers of Mill Road. Local photographer Daisy Zoll has just started selling her new photo book which beautifully captures life at the heart of one of Cambridge's busiest and most diverse areas. Mill Road is an extraordinary diverse street on which it is possible to drink Arabic coffee or fine wines; where you can worship in a Mosque, a Hindu shrine or a Baptist church; where you can eat pâté or fish and chips, tom yum or chicken tikka lababda; where you can stock up on herbs and spices from aam to zedoary, shop for free range eggs or lamb chops, fresh ciabatta or coconut milk; where you can buy the most up-to-date computer or widget, cookware or musical instrument; purchase an antique chair or a vintage hat; have your hair or your nails styled; do your banking or get personal counselling; select a good book and get your eyes tested so you can read it. Until the 1970's you could even have a bath there!

So if you are looking for something a little unusual for your Cambridge loving friends and family this Christmas check it out. Nothing beats local things for local people....

Looking For Something Different This Christmas?

Yes it's that time of year again, it is almot time to celebrate happy inoffensive non-denominational capitalist winter solstice gift giving day! Looking for something a little different for somone from Cambridge then check out our new shirts. The ideal something different for that certain special somone who you have no idea what to buy!

Firstly celebrate the unspoken pact of Romsey that can never be broken, if you were there you may discuss the events, but if you were not there, you get nothing. What happens over the bridge, stays over the bridge.



Then straight from one of Cambridge's most elite and exclusive seats of learning, let them know where they can get a real education with the classic Arbury University shirt.



And finally a Retro styled Romsey Town star shirt.



Have yourself a merry little time!

Mill Road Winter Fair 2010

It's that time of year again this saturday the 3rd of December is the annual Mill Road Winter Fair. They close a chunk of the road and a bit of Cambridge becomes pedestrianised and filled with arty and crafty fun.

To quote the official site:

"Mill Road Winter Fair is the essence of Mill Road distilled into a single day. Over 100 of the shops, cafés and restaurants open their doors and offer unusual dishes from their cultures, things which they might not usually ser...ve here in England. Talented local people from all over the world emerge from their homes with arts and crafts, performances, food, entertainments and a warm welcome in a day of general celebration."