| On the streets of Barcelona, a sweet dream of independence gone wrong Posted: 28 Oct 2017 01:10 PM PDT  SUMMARY: The drawn-out drama over independence for Catalonia, Spain's prosperous, tourist-friendly northeast, took an ominous turn as the regional parliament voted to secede—and Madrid responded by taking control of the provincial government.
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| Why Nazis And White Supremacists Are Putting The Fear In Middle Tennessee This Weekend Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:06 AM PDT  ― In post-Charlottesville America, any large gathering of racists and fascists becomes both spectacle and specter.
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| Trump: It's 'Commonly Agreed' Clinton, Not Me, Colluded With The Russians Posted: 27 Oct 2017 07:30 PM PDT  According to President Donald Trump, it's "commonly agreed" that Hillary Clinton, not Trump, colluded with the Russians.
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| Barack Obama Plans To Serve America Again, This Time In The Courthouse Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:28 AM PDT  Former President Barack Obama reportedly plans to show up for jury duty next month after being called to serve in Cook County, Illinois.
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| Funeral for late Thai king Bhumibol draws to a close Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:59 PM PDT  A year of official mourning for Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej was to end Sunday after a lavish five-day funeral full of pageantry and religious ritual. Bhumibol, a beloved monarch who died last October aged 88, was cremated on Thursday after a day charged with emotion that brought the nation to a standstill. At his death he was the world's longest-serving monarch, spanning seven decades of Thailand's turbulent modern history to become its leading symbol of unity.
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| Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims Posted: 29 Oct 2017 12:01 PM PDT ![Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims]( "Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City honored quake victims") A raised fist made of helmets, pick axes and broken rubble rolled ahead of hundreds of walking skeletons, costumed dancers and flowery floats Saturday in Mexico City's Day of the Dead parade, which this year honored the 228 capital residents killed by a Sept. 19 earthquake.
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| George Washington's church to remove plaque honouring first US president as monuments row takes twist Posted: 29 Oct 2017 10:23 AM PDT  The church where George Washington worshipped is removing a plaque honouring the memory of America's first president in the latest example of the way historic monuments are influencing contemporary politics. Officers at Christ Church, in Alexandria, Virginia, said it was removing the plaque for the slave-owning president along with one for a second parishioner, General Robert Lee, who rose to the head of the Confederate army during the Civil War. "The Vestry has unanimously decided that the plaques create a distraction in our worship space and may create an obstacle to our identity as a welcoming church, and an impediment to our growth and to full community with our neighbours," church officers said in a letter to the congregation following a month-long consultation period. Washington was one of the congregation's founding members in 1773, paying for pew number five, while General Lee's daughter left the church $10,000 in her will. The two plaques have hung on either side of the altar since 1870, soon after Lee's death, paid for by city residents. Workers in New Orleans prepare to remove a statue of General Robert Lee in May Credit: AP But local authorities across the US have removed a string of Confederate statues and memorials from public places in recent years. Critics say there is no place in modern America for symbols associated with racism and slavery. The issue is highly charged. One person died in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August when counter-protesters clashed with white nationalists protesting against the removal of a General Lee Statue. All are welcome. (Except George Washington.) pic.twitter.com/xy6cct4C8k— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) October 28, 2017 The controversies prompted Donald Trump to ponder whether Washington would be targeted next. In its letter, first reported by the Republican Standard website, church officers said that times had changed. "We understand that both Washington and Lee lived in times much different than our own, and that each man, in addition to his public persona, was a complicated human being, and like all of us, a child of God," they wrote. The plaques are due to be relocated by next summer as the church decides how better to commemorate its famous worshippers.
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| Bill O'Reilly Sues Ex-Politician Who Dated One of His Accusers Posted: 28 Oct 2017 09:32 AM PDT  O'Reilly is asking for at least $5 million in damages
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| The Lack Of Women Leaders Is A National Emergency Posted: 28 Oct 2017 02:45 AM PDT  There have been so many horrifying stories about male predatory behavior since the Harvey Weinstein story broke earlier this month, but one quote has truly stood out.
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| Rouhani says Iran will keep producing missiles, state TV reports Posted: 29 Oct 2017 06:56 AM PDT  Iran will continue to produce missiles for its defense and does not consider that a violation of international accords, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday in a speech broadcast on state television. Rouhani spoke days after the U.S. House of Representatives voted for new sanctions against Iran's ballistic missile program, part of an effort to clamp down on Tehran without immediately moving to undermine an international nuclear agreement.
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| Huge Bearded Seal Blocks Airport Runway In Alaska Posted: 29 Oct 2017 06:18 AM PDT  When airport foreman Scott Babcock went out onto the runway at Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Utqiagvik, Alaska, on Monday to clear some snow, he was surprised to find a visitor waiting for him on the asphalt: a 450-pound bearded seal chilling in the milky sunshine.
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| Whitefish Energy's scandalous power contract with Puerto Rico is cancelled Posted: 29 Oct 2017 10:21 AM PDT  UPDATE: With that, the contract has been cancelled. Hours after Governor Ricardo Rosselló issued a statement calling for PREPA to cancel its contract with Whitefish Energy, the Puerto Rico power utility confirmed it will do just that, The Washington Post and CBS News correspondent David Begnaud both confirm. BREAKING: PREPA (@AEEONLINE) CEO Ricardo Ramos says @WhitefishEnergy contract will be canceled after ongoing work ends in Puerto Rico — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) October 29, 2017 To bring Puerto Rico's ailing power grid back online, Rosselló has expressed his support for crews from Florida and New York to help with the process. The governors of both states have already visited the U.S. territory and offered assistance, and energy concerns in both states have plenty of experience dealing with widespread, weather-related power outages. Original story follows: As Puerto Rico still reels in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and questions swirl around a suspicious contract aimed at restoring the U.S. territory's power grid, Governor Ricardo Rosselló has decided enough is enough. The office of the governor issued a lengthy statement on Sunday, though the first sentence really tells the big story here: "Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, requested the governing board of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to proceed immediately with invoking the contract cancellation clause with Whitefish Energy." SEE ALSO: The scope of Puerto Rico's devastation is captured in newly-shared video This new development was first reported by CBS News and The Washington Post, with CBS correspondent David Begnaud later sharing the full text of the governor's statement in a tweet. Hot off the press Here's the release from the office of @ricardorossello calling for the cancellation of the @WhitefishEnergy contract pic.twitter.com/FMgrHZ6vHR — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) October 29, 2017 Whitefish is the small, Montana-based energy concern that won a $300 million contract to turn the lights back on in Puerto Rico. The no-bid contract raises many questions, due to both the size of the company — up until late last month, there were only two employees — and its connection to Donald Trump's Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke (Whitefish is based in his hometown). The questions only grew louder last week when, late Thursday, a copy of the signed contract surfaced on the internet, via an apparent leak. Note that the authenticity of the leaked document was never verified, but the details contained therein match up with other news reports. It's also worth noting that multiple investigations into the contract are already underway, in Congress and Puerto Rico both. As Mashable's Andrew Freedman wrote on Friday: "[The leaked contract] shows that what at first appeared to be a shady deal is actually an unbelievably shady deal." One of the most alarming provisions states that basically no one with governing power is allowed "to audit or review the cost and profit elements of the labor rates specified herein." In other words, Whitefish is free to charge whatever it wants for the work it's doing, with no oversight to ensure the rates are fair and just. And hey, about those rates: According to the leaked contract, site supervisors are earning $330 per hour while project accountants are earning $440 per hour. The lowest-paid workers identified in the contract are still making $140.26 per hour — if that were an annual salary, it would fall just short of $300,000. Another provision clarifies the federal government's involvement in the agreement: It's not involved. As the contract reads: "The Federal Government is not a party to this Contract and is not subject to any obligations or liabilities to PREPA, Contractor, or any other party pertaining to any matter resulting from the Contract." This is where things get dicey for Congressional investigations and even Rosselló's call for the contract to be cancelled. Legally, this is a hands-off deal as far as the government goes. As Begnaud noted on Twitter, the PREPA board is appointed by Rosselló. His government can't directly force the contract's cancellation, but he seems to wield some influence here. What's not yet clear is if PREPA's board is willing to comply with the request, or if Rosselló is able to summarily dismiss them if they're not cooperating. The governor's primary interest at this point is getting his constituents back to a livable situation in the aftermath of a hurricane that decimated the island territory's infrastructure. While most of Puerto Rico once again has access to running water — 80 percent, according to the latest report — less than 30 percent has power at this point. UPDATED Oct. 29 4:24 p.m. ET with the news of PREPA's plans to cancel the Whitefish Energy contract. WATCH: Puerto Rico is recovering cell service... with balloons
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| At least five dead as storm hits central Europe Posted: 29 Oct 2017 07:43 AM PDT  At least five people died in a windstorm that hit central Europe on Sunday, causing widespread power outages and traffic disruptions. In the Czech Republic, falling trees killed a woman in a forest near the central city of Trebic and an elderly man on the street in Jicin northeast of Prague. In Germany, a 63-year-old man sleeping in a van at a camping site on Jade Bay in the north of the country drowned when he tried to escape flash floods on foot, police said.
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| Cops: Idaho woman intentionally drove off cliff with 3 kids Posted: 29 Oct 2017 07:28 AM PDT  An Idaho woman who drove her sport utility vehicle off a cliff and into a reservoir in a crash last year that killed her and her three young children did so deliberately, officials said Friday.
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| The Latest: Doomed sailboat had communications failures Posted: 27 Oct 2017 07:53 PM PDT  HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on the rescue of two women lost at sea since May (all times local):
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| Florida Police Release Eerie New Surveillance Video In Hunt For Suspected Serial Killer Posted: 28 Oct 2017 09:27 AM PDT  Florida police have released a new surveillance video of a "person of interest" wearing a long jacket with a hood and repeatedly flipping open a cell phone in investigators' hunt for a suspected serial killer in a Tampa neighborhood.
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| Bombs kill at least 17 people in Somali capital Mogadishu Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:37 PM PDT  By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Two car bombs killed at least 17 people in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Saturday, police said, two weeks after a huge truck bomb killed hundreds of civilians in the city. Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks on Saturday. A suicide car bomb was rammed into a hotel, Nasahablod Two, about 600 meters from the presidential palace, and then armed militants stormed the building, police said.
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| Gruesome Discoveries at Funeral Homes Put Spotlight on Spotty Regulations Posted: 28 Oct 2017 08:15 AM PDT  Maggots wriggled along the garage floor near cardboard-boxed corpses stacked
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| Top GOP Lawmaker: 'I Wish Democrats Would Help' Look Into Russian Election Meddling Posted: 29 Oct 2017 12:05 PM PDT  Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is accusing Democrats of not doing enough to help investigate Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, which would likely come as news to many of them.
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| In 1942, Japan Ordered 2 Battleships to Be Built with Huge 20-Inch Guns Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:13 PM PDT  In January 1936 Japan announced its intention to withdraw from the London Naval Treaty, accusing both the United States and the United Kingdom of negotiating in bad faith. In the wake of this withdrawal, Japanese battleship architects threw themselves into the design of new vessels. The first class to emerge were the 18.1-inch-gun-carrying Yamatos, the largest battleships ever constructed.
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| Amazon Stock Surge Makes Jeff Bezos Richest Man On Earth Posted: 27 Oct 2017 09:09 PM PDT  Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is now the richest person on the planet after a bounce in company stock value floated his net worth to a massive $93.8 billion by the end of business on Friday.
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| Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces Posted: 28 Oct 2017 11:11 AM PDT ![Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces]( "Iraq orders 24-hour truce in standoff with Kurds over Kirkuk takeover by Iraqi forces") Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces agree to a 24-hour truce after fighting broke out Oct. 16 when Iraqi forces took control of Kirkuk.
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| They Were Homeless In California. Then The Fires Came. Posted: 28 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT  It's 2:00 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon and Fernando Gomez doesn't know where he and his one-year-old daughter will sleep tonight.
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| Questions surround first charges in Muller probe Posted: 29 Oct 2017 09:17 AM PDT  ABC News' Cecilia Vega, Pierre Thomas, and Dan Abrams report the latest details on the Russia investigation on "This Week."
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| After getting locked in a convenience store cooler a man decides to stay and drink beer Posted: 28 Oct 2017 06:48 AM PDT  There are worse places to get trapped than a walk-in cooler filled to the brim with bottles of beer, but very few people would stay there voluntarily. A very lucky unlucky 38-year-old man in Wisconsin decided to take advantage of the binge drinking possibilities, according to police. The man's name was not released but police said he made a stop at Kwik Trip convenience store Tuesday to buy some beer but got stuck in the cooler when it was locked at 11:50 p.m. SEE ALSO: HOPii is an all-in-one personal brewery that fits on your countertop Temperatures can reach 32 degrees, but still the man weathered on for a cold brew. Image: Via giphyWhen the workers reopened the walk-in cooler the next day, the man left the store without paying for an 18 ounce bottle of beer and three cans of malt liquor. He also knocked over a stack of 30-packs breaking open three cases. Police gave the man a misdemeanor citation for retail theft. I guess you could call this a missed hopportunity. h/t: USA Today WATCH: Grab your piece of video gaming nostalgia with one of these awesome console reboots
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| The Ivy League Has An Unexpected Friend In Donald Trump Posted: 29 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT  At first glance, Yale University doesn't seem like a school with much love for the current president.
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| Why Russia's New 'Stealth' Submarines Have a Big Problem Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:50 PM PDT  Moscow failed to develop key AIP propulsion technology for its "new" diesel submarines. Russian media has been trumpeting plans to launch two additional Lada-class diesel-electric submarines, two decades after the hull of the lead boat, the St. Petersburg, was laid down. Left delicately unstated in some of the press releases is that these new boats will lack the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems that were intended to be the class's defining feature.
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| IAEA says Iran implementing its nuclear deal commitments Posted: 28 Oct 2017 05:42 PM PDT  The head of the United Nations atomic agency on Sunday said Iran was carrying out its commitments made under a landmark nuclear deal with world powers. "As of today, I can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA (nuclear deal) are being implemented," Yukiya Amano said at a press conference in Tehran broadcast by state television. The 2015 accord, signed by the Islamic republic as well as Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, saw economic sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for it curbing its nuclear activities.
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| These 'Fun Size' Salads May Be The Scariest Trick This Halloween Posted: 29 Oct 2017 08:19 AM PDT  What could be scarier than getting an apple or raisins this Halloween?
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| Dozens of unidentified bodies found near Libyan city of Benghazi Posted: 28 Oct 2017 02:00 AM PDT ![Dozens of unidentified bodies found near Libyan city of Benghazi]( "Dozens of unidentified bodies found near Libyan city of Benghazi") The bodies of 37 unidentified people have been found near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, security sources said on Friday. The bodies were found on Thursday night in Al-Abyar, about 70 km (44 miles) east of Benghazi. The security sources gave no information about their possible identity.
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| Bali volcano's alert status lowered after decreased activity Posted: 29 Oct 2017 06:51 AM PDT  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano from the highest level on Sunday, following a significant decrease in activity in recent days.
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| Elon Musk Shares New Photo of the Boring Co. Tunnel Under LA Posted: 28 Oct 2017 03:00 PM PDT  The sci-fi mass transit tunnel in California is becoming a reality.
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| Kenya vote chief silent on rebel areas as uncertainty lingers Posted: 29 Oct 2017 11:00 AM PDT  Kenya's election board remained silent Sunday over plans to reschedule a vote in flashpoint opposition areas, where a boycott sparked violent protests in a poll set to hand President Uhuru Kenyatta a landslide, but tarnished, win. There, supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga managed to prevent hundreds of polling stations from opening, prompting violent clashes with police which continued for several days, leaving nine dead and scores injured. At least 49 people have died since the first presidential election of August 8, which was later overturned, prompting Kenya's worst political crisis in a decade.
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| Donald Trump Concedes He's 'Not At All Presidential' As He Slams Michael Moore Play Posted: 29 Oct 2017 05:17 AM PDT  President Donald Trump has assumed the role of theater critic, slamming filmmaker Michael Moore's "sloppy" Broadway play and terming it a "total bomb" in a Saturday night tweet.
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| World War III: This is How the U.S. Military Would Have Invaded Cuba in 1962 Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:22 PM PDT  Attention, people of Cuba: Obey the orders of the U.S. Army, or suffer the consequences. This is what the Cubans would have been told, had the United States invaded the island during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. "Resistance to the United States armed forces will be forcefully stamped out.
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| Why one major 'Stranger Things' star was missing at the Season 2 premiere this week Posted: 28 Oct 2017 10:11 AM PDT  One Stranger Things star was notably absent from Thursday's Season 2 premiere in Los Angeles. British actor Charlie Heaton, who plays creepy photo stalker man Jonathan Byers in the Netflix series, was barred entry to the U.S. last Saturday. SEE ALSO: Netflix is making a 'Stranger Things' after-show to feed the obsession The reason? A drug-sniffing dog reportedly picked up on something that prompted a search of Heaton's luggage, at which point authorities discovered "a small amount of cocaine," according to the Associated Press. Heaton was neither arrested nor charged, but he was barred from entering the U.S. and promptly sent back to London. It's worth noting here that the AP's report comes via an anonymous source — an official who "couldn't discuss the matter publicly." A Friday night report from People contains the same information, via an unnamed law enforcement source. That story also includes a vague statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection which lays out the federal agency's rules for handling foreign nationals in violation of controlled substance laws. It read: "A violation, conspiracy to violate or simply an attempt to violate any U.S. State, federal or any foreign government controlled substance violation renders a foreign national inadmissible to the United States." Heaton hasn't yet made any public statements on the matter, though this would explain his absence from Thursday's premiere. WATCH: Alicia Silverstone served us that '90s nostalgia by resurrecting her Cher costume
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| One-on-one with Gov. Chris Christie Posted: 29 Oct 2017 05:10 AM PDT  New Jersey governor and former federal prosecutor Chris Christie sits down with George Stephanopoulos on "This Week."
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| Lions, chimps, sharks get added protection under UN convention Posted: 28 Oct 2017 07:22 AM PDT  Lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks received added protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines, organisers said Saturday. Some 34 endangered species were selected to receive heightened conservation efforts at the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) conference that just concluded in Manila. Protecting migratory species poses particular difficulties since they cross borders, including possibly moving to countries with less stringent wildlife protection systems, said Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary.
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| Indonesia detains owner after deadly fireworks factory blaze Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:14 AM PDT  Indonesian authorities have detained a fireworks factory owner and a manager on suspicion of negligence after explosions and fire ripped through a warehouse on the outskirts of Jakarta, killing 48 workers and injuring dozens, police said on Saturday. The blaze in the manufacturing hub of Tangerang was one of the worst industrial disasters to hit Southeast Asia's biggest economy, where safety standards are often weakly enforced. Police said the fire started when sparks from a welding operation lit a stack of raw materials used for making fireworks, causing at least two explosions that could be heard miles away.
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| State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy Posted: 29 Oct 2017 09:51 AM PDT ![State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy]( "State police: Quash grand jury on trooper shooting policy") EASTON, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's state police agency, facing pushback over its practice of investigating line-of-duty shootings by its own troopers, is trying to shut down a grand jury looking into the propriety of the policy.
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| How Will Female Candidates Play the Woman Card in 2020? Posted: 28 Oct 2017 06:39 AM PDT  Two potential 2020 presidential candidates preview two different ways to run as a woman during a feminist revolution
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| Adviser Roger Stone launches tirade of foul-mouthed abuse against CNN journalists critical of Donald Trump Posted: 28 Oct 2017 02:31 AM PDT  One of Donald Trump's close advisers has called for the firing of journalists critical of the US president. Roger Stone launched a tirade against CNN calling for journalists Don Lemon, Jake Tapper and Ana Navarro to be fired and describing them as "human excrement". In a tweet about the merger between AT&T and Time Warner, CNN's parent company, Mr Stone wrote: "When AT&T aquires [sic] Time Warner the house cleaning at CNN of human excrement like @donlemon @jaketapper & dumbf*** @ananavarro will be swift".
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| Israel Is a Military Superpower for One Simple Reason: 'Underwater' Nuclear Weapons Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:31 PM PDT  Israel's sea-based nuclear deterrent is here to stay. Israel's submarine corps is a tiny force with a big open secret: in all likelihood, it is armed with nuclear weapons. The five Dolphin-class submarines represent an ace in the hole for Israel, the ultimate guarantor of the country's security, ensuring that if attacked with nukes, the tiny nation can strike back in kind.
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| Cooking with fire and a dip in the outdoors at the new Thames Lido Posted: 27 Oct 2017 10:00 PM PDT  'When the air is heavy, the scent of fresh bread reaches the pool, and swimmers can smell the scallops, too.' Chef Freddy Bird is describing the scallops he roasts with sweet herbs and garlic butter in his wood-fired oven, and the sourdough loaves baked on site every day for his restaurant at Bristol Lido. While plates of charred black figs with burrata drenched in date molasses, spiced flatbreads and whole roast hake are served to lunchtime tables dappled in autumn sunlight, swimmers in bright caps make gentle laps around the pool outside. Later, a group of them come in for afternoon tea, wearing warm towelling robes and slippers. 'This is a place to relax in,' says Bird. 'People quickly fall into the Lido way of life. It's infectious.' The place in question – Clifton's renovated Victorian baths, where one can swim, sauna, eat tapas and sip a glass of fino sherry, not necessarily in that order – was saved from demolition by developer Arne Ringner in 2006, but not before a wrecking ball had gone through one of its walls. I sit by the pool when the cover is taken off at 6.45am and have a coffee. It's blissChef Freddy Bird In 1850, a swim and the use of two towels cost one shilling; in the 1930s people gathered there to exercise and exchange gossip. By the time Ringner began the £2.3 million renovation project, it had been abandoned for almost 20 years, with locals campaigning against the land being turned into flats. A post shared by Lido Spa & Restaurant (@lidobristol) on Sep 6, 2017 at 4:39am PDT Now, with Bird in charge of the kitchen and general manager Mark Thwaites overseeing the spa, the Grade II*-listed building has been back in operation for nearly a decade. And this week the team celebrate the opening of their new project, Thames Lido in Reading, where the 24-degree water shimmers above the same cobalt-blue Italian tiles as Bristol's and the kitchen has at its heart another element – fire. Thames Lido has a raised, heated pool that enables diners and swimmers to be on the same level Credit: Andy Sewell At the restored King's Meadow baths, Bird coaxes perfectly roasted grouse from the ferociously hot, domed wood ovens, and chars sweetcorn on a bespoke grill whose shelves can be moved around to allow cooking over or directly on hot coals. He has been a private chef, catered for films on location, and worked at Bristol's Bordeaux Quay and at The Square in London. But it was at Moro, the restaurant run by Sam and Sam Clark, that Bird developed his passion for fire and a cuisine that draws on the dishes of Spain, north Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Chef Freddy Bird in the kitchen of the new Thames Lido Credit: Andy Sewell 'We were encouraged to eat and try everything,' he explains. 'You become more intuitive when cooking over flames and you learn not to hide the distinct flavour it brings.' Bird's menus at both lidos major on earthy Moroccan spices, fresh herbs and fire-licked vegetables, not to mention the meat he learnt to cook growing up in Bristol. 'Dad had a big vegetable garden, and kept ducks and chickens. Our snacks in front of the telly were chicken livers and fried parsnips held in newspaper.' Having helped to deliver his neighbour's lamb aged nine, Bird received his reward in the form of lamb chops. 'I built a barbecue and cooked them all straight off. I was into it from day one.' Mushrooms are foraged just hours before being cooked at the Lido Credit: Andy Sewell What Bird is not into, as it happens, is swimming. 'I love water and like surfing and sailing, but lengths and laps not so much!' Which is rather fitting since fast-paced lane swimming and tumble turns are not encouraged at the lidos. Both pools are raised above ground level – a design decision made, explains Ringner, to put those dining and having a dip on the same plane. Both have been projects of preservation. Anything worth stealing or damaging had duly been so in the 40 years the Thames Lido had been left unused, but the structure of the 1902 ladies' swimming baths was intact and Ringner has restored nearly everything, including the decorative but weatherbeaten bargeboards. 'Like many Victorian buildings, the beauty is all above eye level,' he says. Throughout the build many observers told him the pool tiles should be turquoise ('or, in the modern fashion, black') and assumed the vibrant ice-cream shades of the building's colour scheme 'must be an undercoat', but Ringner has persevered with a building that is beautiful to be inside. Opposite the barrel changing rooms with their curtains in deck-chair stripes, the restaurant's glass walls can open fully on warm days. 'I like to sit by the pool when the cover is taken off at 6.45am and have a cup of coffee,' says Bird. 'It's bliss.' With the water dulling the sounds of the city and a skyline of trees the only sign of the world outside, it's a unique experience only enhanced by the smell of just-baked bread. Thames Lido, Napier Road, Reading, RG1 8FR (0118 207 0640) Charcoal-grilled black figs, burrata, date molasses and za'atar flatbread Credit: Andy Sewell You can buy very good za'atar from Middle Eastern shops, but the difference in picking your own thyme from the garden is well worth the effort. Make as much as you like – any leftovers are great for dipping with bread and oil or sprinkled over fresh cheese at breakfast. SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS For the flatbread 25g dried yeast 375-400ml lukewarm water 600g strong white bread flour For the za'atar ratio of two-thirds dried thyme (use a dehydrator if you have one or alternatively dry in a very low oven) to one-third sumac warm, toasted sesame seeds (not to exceed a quarter of the total mix) For the figs and burrata good-quality olive oil (we use Arbequina at the restaurant), for drizzling 6-8 black figs, ideally so ripe the skins are almost desperate to burst 2 burrata 2 generous dstspn date molasses 1 tbsp chopped pistachios a pinch of pul biber (Turkish pepper flakes) METHOD Get a barbecue ready with white-hot coals – you can use a griddle pan at a stretch, but you won't get the charcoal flavour. To prepare the flatbread, sprinkle the yeast over the water and leave to bloom for 5 minutes. Then combine with the flour and salt in a food mixer on a medium speed for around 5 minutes. Set the dough aside to prove in a warm place for an hour. Combine the dried thyme and sumac for the za'atar. While the sesame seeds are still warm and have released their oil, toss with the thyme and sumac, then season with fine sea salt. Brush the grill bars of the barbecue or hot griddle pan with a little oil and char the whole figs, turning regularly until they collapse. Set aside under foil to keep warm. Divide the flatbread dough into four and roll out to about ½cm thick. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with za'atar and place the flatbread directly on the grill bars over a fierce heat, or in a dry griddle pan. As the bread starts to bubble, turn it over and cook on the other side. It will probably need no more than 45 seconds each side, depending on how hot the coals or griddle are. To serve, rip open the burrata on a platter to reveal their creamy middles and then tear over the figs. Season with fine sea salt. Drizzle with the date molasses, a little more olive oil, chopped pistachios, a touch more za'atar and a pinch of pepper flakes. Serve with the warm flatbread. Ox cheeks slow-cooked in Pedro Ximénez, with mashed potato Credit: Andy Sewell SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 2 ox cheeks, cut in half oil, for cooking 2 carrots, roughly diced 1 stick celery, roughly diced 1 large onion, roughly diced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 sprig rosemary 1 star anise 300ml Pedro Ximénez 2 litres good-quality fresh chicken stock (ideally made with a bonus pig's trotter or two) 4 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and evenly sliced 100-150g butter cream, to loosen finely chopped chives METHOD Lightly season the ox cheeks and brown them all over with a little oil in a casserole dish. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour a little more oil into the dish and add the vegetables. Cook over a low-medium heat for about 15 minutes until soft and caramelised, then add the garlic, rosemary and star anise. After a couple more minutes, pour in the Pedro Ximénez. Make sure the ox cheeks and vegetables haven't 'caught' on the bottom while cooking – if they do, transfer everything to a new pan. Cook to reduce the Pedro Ximénez by three-quarters, then add the stock and let this reduce over a medium heat until you are left with about a third of the liquid. Check the seasoning. Pass the mixture through a sieve. Discard the vegetables, rosemary and star anise, and reserve the liquid. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Return the ox cheeks to the casserole dish and cover with the strained sauce. Place a circle of parchment on top and put the lid on. Cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours.The cheeks should be tender and ready to fall apart and the sauce beautifully glossy. If it isn't, very carefully remove the cheeks, reduce the sauce to a glossy consistency on the hob, then return the cheeks to the pan. For the mash, boil the potatoes until tender, drain and allow to steam dry in the pan. Press them through a potato ricer and stir in seriously unhealthy amounts of butter and cream. Serve the ox cheeks on top of the mash with a giant pool of sauce. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Roast hake, wild mushrooms, fino, parsley, garlic and jamón Credit: Andy Sewell I have a fantastic forager who picks wild mushrooms hours before we serve them in the restaurant. If you are wary of picking the wrong type, try to buy when they are in season in the UK. I use a mix of chanterelles, ceps, deceivers and parasols. SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS oil, for cooking approx 800g hake fillets (180-200g per person) 4 very large handfuls mixed wild mushrooms splash extra-virgin olive oil big knob of butter 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 spring onions, sliced 150ml fino sherry, plus a little to finish the dish (drink the rest as you cook) 100ml fresh chicken stock 2 tsp chopped chives 2 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 small handful jamón (serrano ham or pata negra), finely chopped METHOD Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Heat a little oil in an ovenproof pan and, when hot, add the fish skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes – don't be tempted to move the fish – then transfer the pan to the oven. It needs a further 6(ish) minutes. Meanwhile, in a very hot, large pan, fry the mushrooms in a little extra-virgin olive oil. You want the mushrooms to fry and colour, not stew. If necessary, cook in batches. Once coloured all over, season well with salt and black pepper, and add a little butter and the garlic. Next, add the spring onions and deglaze with the fino, cooking to reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the stock and reduce the liquid by about a third. Drop in a good knob of butter and agitate the pan until it has emulsified in the sauce. Throw in the chives, parsley and the jamón with a splash of fino. Serve in a shallow bowl with the fish on top.
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