It only seems last week I was in Hamleys buying things for Christmas. This time it’s for Joanne’s birthday on Monday. The crowds are a lot less despite the fact I got here later in the day, due to being in Portabello Road looking for something for Amanda’s birthday next week.

Normally I don’t have any problem picking gifts but today I couldn’t really get my head around either task. Perhaps it was thinking back to Christmas or too much beer from last night. After what seemed an age, and several goes on the desktop pin ball machine to inspire me, I staggered out to get some food at the Tokyo Diner: chicken katsu don and spinach gomae.

I’d really wanted to go the Royal Academy today but I hadn’t left enough time to take it all in and enjoy it so instead I went to the London Graphics Centre and bought a “book”. I’ve been meaning to put together a “book”, a collection of my snaps housed in an anonymous black slip case for hawking around picture editors, for a while but I’ve not been too sure of what I should include or how really to do it. This is not too large, with space for around 40 pictures with card to mount them on. Now all I need to do is start thinking which to get printed.

To try to get some inspiration I have a bottle of wine made from the Carignan grape. It’s from the Familia Licari in Tunisia and called Accademia del Sole.

The wines of Casa Vinicola Calatrasi, Sicily, Puglia and Tunisia

“Accademia del Sole Carignan 2001, Tunisia
(tasted May 2002) Lisa says that this is a variety that copes well with the heat in Tunisia. Quite a deep colour, this has a nice spicy nose with a roasted coffee edge. Concentrated and juicy on the palate with savoury fruit and a spicy edge. Impressive effort. Very good+ (Sainsbury £5.49)”