Steve Parks
@steveparks.me
Geeking out about writing, entrepreneurship, journalism, food, tech — or ideally a combination.
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
And lunch. Simple but so tasty.
January 17, 2026 at 1:55 PM
And lunch. Simple but so tasty.
I’ve got a good haul, including a leg of lamb for tomorrow, stuff for raclette tonight.
And now it’s post-market beer time before the cycle home and a market lunch of baguette, pate, salads.
Cheers!
And now it’s post-market beer time before the cycle home and a market lunch of baguette, pate, salads.
Cheers!
January 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM
I’ve got a good haul, including a leg of lamb for tomorrow, stuff for raclette tonight.
And now it’s post-market beer time before the cycle home and a market lunch of baguette, pate, salads.
Cheers!
And now it’s post-market beer time before the cycle home and a market lunch of baguette, pate, salads.
Cheers!
My morning started lazy, then cycled to the market.
Bit of a foggy January day, so quite a few traders on holiday and not many customers.
But the butcher, cheesemonger, traiteur, oyster farmer, market gardener and veg stall were there.
Bit of a foggy January day, so quite a few traders on holiday and not many customers.
But the butcher, cheesemonger, traiteur, oyster farmer, market gardener and veg stall were there.
January 17, 2026 at 12:28 PM
My morning started lazy, then cycled to the market.
Bit of a foggy January day, so quite a few traders on holiday and not many customers.
But the butcher, cheesemonger, traiteur, oyster farmer, market gardener and veg stall were there.
Bit of a foggy January day, so quite a few traders on holiday and not many customers.
But the butcher, cheesemonger, traiteur, oyster farmer, market gardener and veg stall were there.
For those of you following along with school dinners…
Today’s got rave reviews so I took a look.
Blanquette de veau!
Today’s got rave reviews so I took a look.
Blanquette de veau!
January 16, 2026 at 6:48 PM
For those of you following along with school dinners…
Today’s got rave reviews so I took a look.
Blanquette de veau!
Today’s got rave reviews so I took a look.
Blanquette de veau!
Checked on their website and inside is fully kitted out as a small concert venue.
You climb up the steps into the lorry and through some red velvet curtains to find this:
You climb up the steps into the lorry and through some red velvet curtains to find this:
January 9, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Checked on their website and inside is fully kitted out as a small concert venue.
You climb up the steps into the lorry and through some red velvet curtains to find this:
You climb up the steps into the lorry and through some red velvet curtains to find this:
Walked past this truck in town tonight and heard a string quartet tuning up inside !
Apparently the regional council is having a mobile music festival, taking small concerts out to small towns and villages in January.
🎉😎🎶
Apparently the regional council is having a mobile music festival, taking small concerts out to small towns and villages in January.
🎉😎🎶
January 9, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Walked past this truck in town tonight and heard a string quartet tuning up inside !
Apparently the regional council is having a mobile music festival, taking small concerts out to small towns and villages in January.
🎉😎🎶
Apparently the regional council is having a mobile music festival, taking small concerts out to small towns and villages in January.
🎉😎🎶
Then, after talking about economic collapse in the 2030s, the speculative history from 2050 says:
"Many now understood that institutions needed to be fixed, but after the damage that Biden and Trump had done and the polarisation that had reached even higher peaks, rebuilding them proved difficult."
"Many now understood that institutions needed to be fixed, but after the damage that Biden and Trump had done and the polarisation that had reached even higher peaks, rebuilding them proved difficult."
January 8, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Then, after talking about economic collapse in the 2030s, the speculative history from 2050 says:
"Many now understood that institutions needed to be fixed, but after the damage that Biden and Trump had done and the polarisation that had reached even higher peaks, rebuilding them proved difficult."
"Many now understood that institutions needed to be fixed, but after the damage that Biden and Trump had done and the polarisation that had reached even higher peaks, rebuilding them proved difficult."
"The critical state of US institutions became much clearer after Biden’s cynical pardons, sending a signal to millions that his administration’s defence of democracy was a charade.
The damage to democracy thus began even before Trump ascended to power the second time."
What the what now?!
The damage to democracy thus began even before Trump ascended to power the second time."
What the what now?!
January 8, 2026 at 7:54 PM
"The critical state of US institutions became much clearer after Biden’s cynical pardons, sending a signal to millions that his administration’s defence of democracy was a charade.
The damage to democracy thus began even before Trump ascended to power the second time."
What the what now?!
The damage to democracy thus began even before Trump ascended to power the second time."
What the what now?!
But the key 'turning point' that crushed trust in America's institutions that historians will apparently focus on in 2050? Biden's pre-emptive pardons.
We hardly remember those even just one year on with the smashing up of the American state that has happened since.
We hardly remember those even just one year on with the smashing up of the American state that has happened since.
January 8, 2026 at 7:52 PM
But the key 'turning point' that crushed trust in America's institutions that historians will apparently focus on in 2050? Biden's pre-emptive pardons.
We hardly remember those even just one year on with the smashing up of the American state that has happened since.
We hardly remember those even just one year on with the smashing up of the American state that has happened since.
This is an unusually confused piece of writing from the FT.
Roughly:
- all these experts say Trump is a fascist, but I found one book that says he’s not so that’s probably right.
- there’s a long checklist of things he’s done that are fascist, but he hasn’t done everything Hitler’s way, so he’s not
Roughly:
- all these experts say Trump is a fascist, but I found one book that says he’s not so that’s probably right.
- there’s a long checklist of things he’s done that are fascist, but he hasn’t done everything Hitler’s way, so he’s not
January 8, 2026 at 12:41 PM
This is an unusually confused piece of writing from the FT.
Roughly:
- all these experts say Trump is a fascist, but I found one book that says he’s not so that’s probably right.
- there’s a long checklist of things he’s done that are fascist, but he hasn’t done everything Hitler’s way, so he’s not
Roughly:
- all these experts say Trump is a fascist, but I found one book that says he’s not so that’s probably right.
- there’s a long checklist of things he’s done that are fascist, but he hasn’t done everything Hitler’s way, so he’s not
Why on earth cast Martin Clunes as Huw Edwards, when Robert Llewellyn is right there?
January 7, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Why on earth cast Martin Clunes as Huw Edwards, when Robert Llewellyn is right there?
Seems the French take a dim view of landsailing buggy riders
January 6, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Seems the French take a dim view of landsailing buggy riders
Well, you have to credit the BBC News online team for conciseness, and perhaps even a little poetry
(via @lauraphillips.bsky.social )
(via @lauraphillips.bsky.social )
January 3, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Well, you have to credit the BBC News online team for conciseness, and perhaps even a little poetry
(via @lauraphillips.bsky.social )
(via @lauraphillips.bsky.social )
I know it’s a small thing, but I really feel the choice of words by journalists matters
In this headline it would be normal for, say, the Daily Mail to sensationalise with ‘forced’ — but the BBC really should stick to the facts of the story with ‘required’.
In this headline it would be normal for, say, the Daily Mail to sensationalise with ‘forced’ — but the BBC really should stick to the facts of the story with ‘required’.
January 1, 2026 at 11:28 PM
I know it’s a small thing, but I really feel the choice of words by journalists matters
In this headline it would be normal for, say, the Daily Mail to sensationalise with ‘forced’ — but the BBC really should stick to the facts of the story with ‘required’.
In this headline it would be normal for, say, the Daily Mail to sensationalise with ‘forced’ — but the BBC really should stick to the facts of the story with ‘required’.
Here we go…
Didn’t even need to fast forward - they said it on the day the results were released!!
Didn’t even need to fast forward - they said it on the day the results were released!!
December 16, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Here we go…
Didn’t even need to fast forward - they said it on the day the results were released!!
Didn’t even need to fast forward - they said it on the day the results were released!!
Well, today’s lunch menu at the local primary school looks rather nice!
Sadly, I’ve tried, and they never have space for walk-ins.
Sadly, I’ve tried, and they never have space for walk-ins.
December 16, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Well, today’s lunch menu at the local primary school looks rather nice!
Sadly, I’ve tried, and they never have space for walk-ins.
Sadly, I’ve tried, and they never have space for walk-ins.
But they were also advised against moving ‘too late.’
In fact, I believe it is the norm for experts to advise moving at ‘just the right time’.
In fact, I believe it is the norm for experts to advise moving at ‘just the right time’.
December 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
But they were also advised against moving ‘too late.’
In fact, I believe it is the norm for experts to advise moving at ‘just the right time’.
In fact, I believe it is the norm for experts to advise moving at ‘just the right time’.
Just nipped to the 24hr vending machine at the local oyster farm.
Handy for all your bivalve mollusc snacking needs.
Handy for all your bivalve mollusc snacking needs.
December 11, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Just nipped to the 24hr vending machine at the local oyster farm.
Handy for all your bivalve mollusc snacking needs.
Handy for all your bivalve mollusc snacking needs.
Starmer urges police to seize people’s phones to halt rise of street-snatchers
December 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Starmer urges police to seize people’s phones to halt rise of street-snatchers
Coders think AI is problematic with the thing they are expert in, but amazing at things they are not (writing, art, business, marketing...)
The same is probably true for everyone. We're impressed by it doing things we don't know how to do, but shocked at mistakes when it tries something we know
The same is probably true for everyone. We're impressed by it doing things we don't know how to do, but shocked at mistakes when it tries something we know
December 7, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Coders think AI is problematic with the thing they are expert in, but amazing at things they are not (writing, art, business, marketing...)
The same is probably true for everyone. We're impressed by it doing things we don't know how to do, but shocked at mistakes when it tries something we know
The same is probably true for everyone. We're impressed by it doing things we don't know how to do, but shocked at mistakes when it tries something we know
Today’s pollock fillet was a hit, with strong reviews… but I might have a bit of extra goûter ready tomorrow.
Rabbit is very difficult to make tender and tasty at the best of times, but in mass catering? Very unlikely.
First time I’ve doubted these school chefs in 2 years though.
Rabbit is very difficult to make tender and tasty at the best of times, but in mass catering? Very unlikely.
First time I’ve doubted these school chefs in 2 years though.
December 4, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Today’s pollock fillet was a hit, with strong reviews… but I might have a bit of extra goûter ready tomorrow.
Rabbit is very difficult to make tender and tasty at the best of times, but in mass catering? Very unlikely.
First time I’ve doubted these school chefs in 2 years though.
Rabbit is very difficult to make tender and tasty at the best of times, but in mass catering? Very unlikely.
First time I’ve doubted these school chefs in 2 years though.
Well… let’s see how tomorrow’s lunch at primary school goes down:
December 4, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Well… let’s see how tomorrow’s lunch at primary school goes down:
Today’s Sunday lunch was in a really lovely ‘bbq brasserie’ further up the coast.
Afterwards I walked 12km back down the coast at sunset. The tide was out, so I did most of it over the rocks.
Afterwards I walked 12km back down the coast at sunset. The tide was out, so I did most of it over the rocks.
November 30, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Today’s Sunday lunch was in a really lovely ‘bbq brasserie’ further up the coast.
Afterwards I walked 12km back down the coast at sunset. The tide was out, so I did most of it over the rocks.
Afterwards I walked 12km back down the coast at sunset. The tide was out, so I did most of it over the rocks.
wHy aREn’t moRE peOPle paYInG for OuR nEWs WebSite??!
November 30, 2025 at 7:59 PM
wHy aREn’t moRE peOPle paYInG for OuR nEWs WebSite??!