Steve's map of Malta

About six weeks ago, I put some ads up in art shop noticeboards hoping to find people to draw maps. And happily a reply from Steve from Malta popped up.

I met him the other day and he drew this lovely map of Malta.

"Malta looks a bit like a fish," Steve told me. I'd never noticed it before, but Steve - who is an illustrator and designer - obviously has a good eye for detail. He has also put in the original Maltese names of the islands Comino and Gozo.

We spent a nice couple of hours talking design, London, accents, geography, Scotland, African fabric, and all sorts of other interesting things.

He has a great website here: http://www.leftylemur.com with some excellently interesting design projects.

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So now the idea of a new map of Europe is taking shape - I've only eight more maps to collect, with 'leads' for several of them. But the tiniest are the trickiest: Andorra, San Marino, Monaco! I may have to take a trip.

London Eurovision Party

Last night's UK Eurovision Party was an amazing night - how could it not be with that line-up? My highlights:

• Passing Ani Lorak on the stairs as I went in.
• Seeing Malta's Morena on the VIP balcony bopping along to Eurovision hits
• Seeing Nanne Gronvall on the VIP balcony finger-clicking and singing Making Your Mind Up
• Cheryl Baker - Queen of Advertising - advertising Bucks Fizz's Greatest Hits
• Malta's Morena bouncing up and down to perform Vodka
• Iceland's Euroband doing a medley of Eurovision hits, and then the fantastic This is my life
• Nanne Gronvall bringing on backing dancers.
• The Armenians that showed up to support Sirusho

• The sheer bonkers-ness of Bosnia's Laka
• Ani Lorak performing Shady Lady
• Ani Lorak's topless buff dancers - she knows her audience.
• Dancing to Hero again and again and again

Here's Ani Lorak performing Shady Lady

And here is Nanne doing Hall Om Mig. Brilliant!

Ace Songs for Europe

Hurrah. What with all the news about Morrissey possibly being involved with the UK Eurovision entry this year, it's definitely Eurovision season.

My friend Trixie has asked me to be the shiny "Eurovision correspondent" on Londonist.com, so clicky here to read my first post.

Over the next few months, I'm going to feature some of the best songs from the many, many preselections all around Europe.

Today, we have Olivia Lewis singing Vertigo from Malta. Olivia has come second in the Maltese selection lots of times, so must be a shoe-in to do well this time. Vertigo is pure eurovision, with wonderful lyrics.

Reasons why Vertigo is ace:

• ethno-pop rhythm and beats


• the clever contrast-ful in the lyrics: "yes / no" "stay / go"


• "gave you all, A to Z" - it's about maps!


• Nonsensical lyrics: "I've become indigo"


• despite the flat hair in this photo, Olivia likes big hair and ridiculously overblown costumes, as can be seen here and here.


• clap-clap-clap-clappy clap-clap-clap-clappy


• the sheer amount of lyrics that offer really obvious choreography:
  * you're spinning me round and you're holding me down
  * and I turn. You're not there
  * you're lifting me high, then you're taking me low


• Vertigo!

Hurrah.

Download Olivia Lewis - Vertigo mp3