Rabbers

Yes, I’m looking forward to switching back to my Conti SC7s next week after driving on winters since last October (as it turned out merely prudentially given the snowless and practically frost-free weather). I have become a firm Conti fan on the basis of the SC7s virtually faultless all-round performance on the RC300h compared to Dunlop SportMaxxes, Bridgestone Potenza 050s and Pirelli PZeros. The Contis are far superior to the Dunlops and Bridgestones in terms of grip, stability and quietness, though only marginally better than Pirellis in just about everything except ride comfort, for which they might be considered a little too firm. If I had to pick one outstanding feature of the Contis I would say it is their ability to transmit a feeling of precision at all speeds.

As my waistline attests…

The different ways in which rice is cooked in various culinary traditions could well be a useful subject for a PhD thesis. Suffice it to say, in the present context, that connoisseurs of risotto consider dishes like paella, pilafs, pulau/biryani and the like, in which the rice is left to take care of itself, to be barbaric. As regards MrsT’s observation, it could be said that her tendency in late career to use metaphors rather than direct statements to explain non-actions marked, alas, the beginning of the end of an otherwise glorious reign.

Tut-tut, Len. Paella should never be stirred but, as any (pedantic) valenciano will tell you, merely shaken using the paellera’s side-handles.

Not a question of right and wrong, but rather of gastronomic and cultural purity. VFR got it right in his first post about baked beans on toast (although, if I think about it, the connection with Heinz might well introduce an element of doubt as regards national identity).

After reading this thread I concluded that Mrs Beeton must be turning in her grave. Whatever happened to good old traditional British fare?

Don't know the place but it sounds nice - the sort of place, in fact, where you'd expect to see at least one Lexus in the car-park!

Not entirely devoid of wisdom and good sense.

I don’t know about Lexus’ older models but I believe the windscreen and side windows have a hydrophobic coating which might be negatively affected by the use of potent glass cleaning products.

I test-drove an AWD LBX the other day and, although I tried to keep an open mind, I quickly came to the conclusion, fully aware that I was comparing apples and pears, that I wouldn't want to replace my ageing 2019 RC300h with one. The LBX is quiet and comfortable, pretty rather than handsome in appearance, fairly nippy in town traffic, very well appointed with an excellent infotainment system, and feels sturdy and firmly-planted - but it is not a car I would want to use for motorway drives of any great length even though I personally undertake these less frequently than I once did. I was offered a hefty discount off list-price for immediate delivery from stock of a top-spec Original Edition version, which, added to a generous trade-in valuation for my RC, was tempting. But not tempting enough. In short, I reckon the LBX would be an absolutely perfect second car for anybody wanting or able to afford one, but only if its main use is in and around large cities.

I once had the same problem with a nail in one of the front tyres of an IS250, which was particularly upsetting because (a) it happened when I was more than 1500km from home, and (b) I had been planning to trade the car in for a new one and was therefore not enthusiastic about laying out money for a new tyre (or probably two). In the event I was lucky to find what turned out to be an honest workshop that put in a plug with the assurance that it would not only get me home but would last the life of the tyre, which had then done about 14000km. The first assurance proved demonstrably correct, though I admit to having being nagged by worry during the long drive home, albeit without any justification whatsoever seeing that I subsequently got another problem-free 7000km+ out of the tyre before taking delivery of the new car.

Before setting out on long drives that include stretches of autobahn I add 0.2BAR to the recommended pressures. This follows the advice I got several decades ago from a trusted BMW mechanic, and it became a habit with every car I have had ever since. Supposedly one gets better high-speed fuel consumption (something to do with reduced surface attrition?), but if so, I must admit I have never been able to quantify it. On the subject of autobahn speeds, it should be borne in mind that speedometers overstate actual speeds by a significant amount. In my present RC300h I have calculated the overstatement to be as much as 10-11% with an average of 9% in my normal everyday driving mix. The car’s electronic limitation is 190kmh, although on occasional drives on the autobahn I have seen the speedometer touch 215kmh on fairly gentle downhill stretches and maintain readings of 205-210kmh for long stretches on the flat.

When it’s in the kitchen?

I see what you mean. There are some quite potent premium cleaning/conditioning products out there, including Angelwax ones, and I find it best to go easy when first trying them.

Sounds good, but I don’t quite understand the ”maybe too well” comment.