Turning Point, Hoboken NJ

If ever there was an ideal place for brunch, it is at Turning Point.

Serving breakfast, brunch and lunch every day of the week, their specialty is serving everything fresh and from scratch.

At their Hoboken, New Jersey venue there is the added treat of a grand view of the Hudson River and New York City across the water.

american football in london

One warm Saturday on September 27, London closed off Regent Street - one of its busiest high-end shopping districts - to host a celebration for its American residents and visitors. 

NFL on Regent Street marked the start of the International Series Games of 2014, broadcasting the first game of the series, which was the Oakland Raiders hosting the Miami Dolphins.

The streets were splashed with the logos and faces of the six participating teams: aside from the Raiders and Dolphins, there were booths for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions.

The Ghost of Halloween Past

Here in the US, Halloween is the harbinger of our year end holidays.

Crime scene tape was very popular this year. 

It heralds when the fall nip in the air starts to chill - leaves turn and fall away - layers thicken and we start to cover up.

Japan Matsuri 2014

At the end of September London was lucky enough to still have a nice warm day for one of the big cultural events of the year. My Japanese-American friend and I attended the Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square.

There were stalls lining the grounds selling irresistible-smelling trays of ramen, takoyaki, okonomiyaki and nabe (all of which we tried), aside from other staples like sushi, onigiri, donburi and tempura, and desserts like kakigoori. Other stalls sold Japanese prints, kitchen crockery, souvenirs, and even kimono.

The festival officially started with a thunderous performance of Taiko drumming.