Tight fit: Mark Spitz in 1973 with the seven gold medals he won in the 1972 Olympics… and his Speedo trunks. Photograph: Terry O’Neill/Getty ImagesTight fit: Mark Spitz in 1973 with the seven gold medals he won in the 1972 Olympics… and his Speedo trunks. Photograph: Terry O’Neill/Getty ImagesThe ObserverMen's fashionDesigned for practicality, the Speedo and its successors have delighted and dismayed in equal measure. Now the swimwear classics are back in fashion – but would you dare? Read More...
SEMANTIC ENIGMASWhy "a different kettle of fish"? THIS IS a variant of the far more common "pretty kettle of fish", meaning a disagreeable situation, which goes back at least to the early 18th century. In former centuries a "kettle" was a metal pot used for boiling liquids or cooking, and a fish-kettle was a common household utensil. The phrase "a kettle of fish" was also used in northern England and Scotland to describe an outdoor salmon picnic, as well as the pot in which it was prepared, and the ironic figurative usage perhaps reflects the dismay of finding that something expected to be pleasurable is in fact the opposite. Read More...
A local's guideItaly holidaysPuglian winemaker Massimiliano Apollonio shares tips on the best cafes, museums, parks and bike rides in his beautiful southern city
FoodLecce is renowned for its cucina povera – it literally means “poor cuisine”, but refers to the tasty home cooking of rural families who make the most of seasonal, local produce. We are fortunate to have wonderful fresh vegetables – so dining out can be a vegetarian’s paradise – along with seafood direct from the Ionian Sea. Read More...