Unfair summer clothing rules, drooling over Galvin and Vikram Seth's Two Lives

It's been a hectic few days dashing here there and everywhere and the summer doesn't really help- ever been on a busy train carriage with broken down air conditioning, with your feet sticking to the insides of your shoes and you wishing to kick them off but not daring because you fear the stench? I think women are a bit luckier as far as summer office dressing is concerned, they can dress down and even wear sandals without looking totally and utterly unprofessional. What I'd really love is to just wear shorts and sandals and a short sleeved shirt.....

Great meal at the weekend, at Galvin, the London bistro owned by the two Galvin brothers who have worked in virtually every top restaurant in London and which has been getting rave reviews. I had a delightful crab salad to start followed by confit of duck and they were both great. The simplicity that is the ethos of the place ran through from the unstuffy staff to the food and the wine and best of all the prices. I'll certainly be going back....

On the reading front I got into Vikram Seth's Two Lives this week. As an avid Seth fan- I've loved all his books, A Suitable Boy, An Equal Music and even The Golden Gate, his California novel in verse that I resisited for a long time because I couldn't imagine getting into a novel in verse. I eventually read it and loved it- it's witty and fun and literally unputdownable...but I must say I'm struggling with Two Lives. It's interesting but ever so slightly reportorial.....if there's such a word. But I'll keep going.....

Had interesting conversations with friends visiting from Nigeria over the weeknd...there does seem to be a sense that this time around we want a true leader, with a vision, not just someone from a particular area or religion or interest group......