Sadly not an announcement that i am heading for the station..... Well not yet! Still ''the must see'' Richard Prince Exhibtion at the Serpentine and in September, Dunhill's new 'flagship' ''Home'', Bourbon House, off Berkley Square, end of the 'ever so hot' Mount Street.W1, will ensure that i will be there! Come what may! Some of You regular 'listeners' may also have noticed that with summer the 'volume' of Columns as reduced.... many will say 'Thank gods for that!'... H'mmm.

Anyway, one reason above all others, is my 9 year old HP laptop [at home] has finally decided not to 'play ball'. [Speaking of new season almost upon us, watch this space!] So 'popped' into hometown, Lancaster, on day off to PC World.... enough said! As everyone knows a 'tech head' i am not! Megabites and rams? What?

I 'glazed over in seconds'! Had i done my reaserch? What do You think?... My research consisted of a page in this month's GQ featuring the new 'compact,
compacts'..laptops that will fit into a Mulberry Man bag! And they look cool! Like the 'arctic' white finish of the Acer 'something or other'....and [only!!] £199?..

Then it dawned on me the price of a 'sale' pair of PRADA's!! Time for a re-think!

Add to that being asked 'Did i want some help?'.... [which of course i did!] by a
'man-mountain' in an 'ill-fitting', Polyster mix button-down shirt with an attempt at
a footballer's knot on a PC corporate tie.... in light purple!! For gods sake! It was
time for me to leave!..... Sorry, nice enough guy, only trying to do his job but please! With that shirt! Anyway PC World and a GQ recommendation? What do You think!

What GQ has provided is the following.....

The BROMPTON World Championship, Blenheim Palace, 28th September 08.
www.brompton.co.uk How cool? That said the illustration used features guys who should quite frankly know better, wearing lycra shorts with what appears to be last years' 'Hackett' collection of jackets, shirts & ties.... So wrong!

The next recommendation could [like Wallpaper* City Guides] sort out that what
to buy 'so&so' for his/her birthday.... A new bike journal by Andrew Diprose; go to
www.theridejournal.com to view and indeed order, seven quid well spent! Superbly illustrated and different....

Proves that as You 'mull over' your copies of MBUK and Singletrack, my forensic
reading of GQ, Esquire, Arena and the like can indeed 'discover' some little gems!

Speaking of....less than subtle i realise but do not forget......

BIKETREKS LTD SALE starts Saturday 16th August 2008. 9.am.

Discover your very own 'little gems'! Bargains everywhere! And not a button down
polyster shirt in sight! Promise! ..... Looking forward to welcoming You on the first
day of sale.