The latest issue of The Victorian magazine – issue 39 – is at the printers and will be out soon. This issue is in fact the twentieth issue Made In Earnest has designed and, even if I say so myself, it is looking good.

The second EP from Mo Kolours is done and in production – the above image is actually the end credit from the video that accompanies the release – but if you want to get a sneak preview of the sounds of ‘EP2: Banana Wine’ the opening track ‘Ridda Mountian’ features on the new Brownswood compilation from Kutmah.

At the moment ongoing work includes; Historic House magazine; The Victorian magazine; three new corporate identities, for Pacitti Company, David Fawcett and Actors Touring Company; the next issue of The Echo for the Association of Sound Designers; a promotional seminar leaflet for Hall McCartney; web banners and buttons for Cecile Park Publishing; posters and flyers for Wah Wah 45s and The Jazz Meet; and the forthcoming release on One-Handed Music by Mo Kolours!

Now, all I have to do is hit the deadlines and everyone will be happy….

I am pleased to announce that I am officially a ‘Spotter’. By that I mean, I have joined the travel website Spotted By Locals as one of their locals for London.

When I started my Made In Earnest City Guides in 2008 with a guide to Helsinki I was asked by a friend how I was going to keep the guide up-to-date and the truth was, I couldn’t. I wasn’t able to visit to cities often enough to keep them useful and I wanted them to be personal so I knew from the start I had a problem. A problem that has meant the City Guides are now not online (although I may put them up just so there is an archive of them). So, I thought about potentially doing a personal City Guide to London, but I ruled that out almost immediately because of the size and the nature of the city. Too big and too changeable. That was when I first contacted Spotted By Locals. I had been a fan of the site and thought it was the perfect solution to my city guide writing problem. And now, some years later, I am part of the team!

I live and work in the east of the city and readily admit that most of my ‘spots’ are going to be in that area. It is an exciting and thriving part of the London, constantly changing and evolving. The spots are, by design, personal, so you can expect design, art and architecture to the fore and the odd mention of jazz, funk and soul, of course. Oh, and coffee and cakes. The pic above is of the excellent Counter Cafe within Stour Space in Hackney Wick, one of my first articles up on the site and an ideal place for both coffee and cake.

As you will be able to see there was no event in January, hence the gap top left of the review. You should also be able to notice that in September the night celebrated it’s tenth year anniversary. Quite a feat when you consider where the night is (Shoreditch) and the changes that have occurred in that area in the last decade. Congratulations to Gian for making it work so well. Long may it continue.

The Manchester Modernist Society, publishers of the modernist magazine, have launched a modernist pop-up shop at 142 Chapel Street, Salford M3 6AF (close to Salford central Station and the Kings Arms for those that know the area) and the shop features artist/designer made products with a modernist flavour – including a small selection of recent The Jazz Meet posters.

The latest poster (shown below) was done after the print deadline and is not for sale at the moment, but you can just see a couple of posters high up on the wall in the pic above. All sales will support the ongoing work of the Manchester Modernist Society and the modernist magazine so if you are in the area please do pop in.

We are not sure how long the situation will last, obviously, but will open again fully as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.

This year I have joined Movember! Please feel free to donate here.

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember. For more information, or to register, visit movember.com