Goldie's Fab Four #11

My cultural (and other) highlights of the week

Blue Lights (BBC i Player)

This Belfast-based cop series has been described as “the new ‘Line Of Duty’” and while it isn’t that good, there’s plenty of intrigue and tension to keep you glued.

Giles Bannier’s gritty direction doesn’t shy away from the realities of life in a city where the ‘peelers’ are still viewed by some sections of the community as representatives of an alien state, and scenes where officers risk being trapped in a nationalist council estate generate real tension.

There may be a slight soapy tendency with one or two of the characters – notably Grace Ellis (Sian Brooke) a do-gooding social worker turned police officer – but even if the jury’s out on the long-term prospects for this show, I’m giving ‘Blue Lights’ a green light - for Series One at least.

The Golden Mole and Other Living Treasure – Katherine Rundell (Faber)

Did you know there’s a Greenland Shark swimming in the oceans today who was alive when Shakespeare was writing?  Or that the arrival of a giraffe in Paris in 1827 was considered so extraordinary that it created the 19^th century equivalent of Beatlemania?

These are just a couple of the astonishing stories unearthed in Katherine Rundell’s gorgeous volume about the living wonders of the world, designed as a gentle wake up call to alert us to the dangers of habitat loss.

Accompanied by Talya Baldwin’s beautiful illustrations, it’s essentially a posh ‘toilet book’, albeit one with an important message – easy to read, full of amazing facts, but delivered in short chapters, . Highly recommended.

The Grove, Handsworth

When I first ate curries in restaurants, the Biriani would often be the lowest common denominator – the default option for people who didn’t really like spicy food , similar to the dried Vesta curries with sultanas my Dad used to enjoy.

Over the years, I’ve come to learn that in India, it’s a dish with numerous variations, encompassing long or short grain rice, that sometimes comes with sauce but sometimes doesn’t, and that regional variations dictate whether you’re likely to have it served with chicken, lamb or veg.

At The Grove -a handsome traditional boozer dating back to 1891 - it comes with chicken, a rich sauce and enough fire to fuel a dragon. It’s the best Biriani I’ve ever tasted.

Sebo Automatic X7 Vacuum Cleaner

What do you mean, you don’t come here for household cleaning recommendations? 

A great vacuum is a thing of joy and beauty, and this German made dustbuster is a wondrous addition any household.

In our house, vacuuming is my job and in recent years I’ve been through a G-Tech (light, but not powerful enough) and a Dyson (gets clogged too easily).  Now I’ve landed on this unfashionable heavyweight and it’s brilliant – just does the job, no fuss.  Vielen danke my German friends.