London, United Kingdom:

Yes, of course, London has to have top billing now that is just 73 days and counting until the city's BIG day. The XXX Olympiad, scheduled for July 27-August 12, is set to be massive and for weeks beforehand this majestic old city will be having the party of its life.

The Household Cavalry Museum adds to the capital's ever-increasing Olympic excitement with an Olympic themed exhibition celebrating the achievements of members of the Household Cavalry Regiment who have competed in the Olympic Games since 1908.

The exhibition is open from 29 March until mid-June, when the museum will close to allow Horse Guard's Parade to play host to the Beach Volleyball competitions of the 2012 Games. ?The fascinating display includes the Gold and Bronze Olympic medals won by Lord Astor of Hever in 1908, the Olympic torch carried by Bronze medal-winner Captain Dominic Mahony at the 1996 Athens Games and the oar and personal scrapbook of Silver medal-winning rower Captain Alistair Heathcote in 2008.

Each of the Olympians featured in the exhibition boasts not only sportsmanship and the physical skills required to participate in the Games, but represents, of course, the Household Cavalry Regiment; their engrossing professional stories and experiences are part of the exhibition's attraction.

The City of London Festival this summer celebrates its 50th anniversary with the theme City of London - Trading Places with the World and performances from internationally acclaimed stars in historical locations in the Square Mile.

During the five-week festival (24 June - 27 July) visitors will be able to attend world premiére performances of music and dance including works by composer Tansy Davies for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a landmark piece performed by English National Ballet in St Paul's Cathedral.

There will also be free family events and 300 free piano lessons on 50 Golden Street Pianos placed across the City. ?Composer Samuel Bordoli will produce live music sculptures at Tower Bridge and the Monument. Sir Colin Davis will conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts in St Paul's Cathedral (25-26 June), and guitarist John Williams will commemorate the Festival's jubilee year with a recital similar to the one he gave at the first City of London Festival in 1962.

Ljubljana, Slovenia:

Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, (pronounced Lyoo-blyee-AHN-a, a name you can almost chew) of course brings a melting pot of cultures together. Like many European cities, it is best dealt with on foot. By car it is confusing and slow. Walking, though, you have time to admire the beautifully preserved and restored buildings; you can dawdle through the shopping precincts, linger in a riverside cafe or bar, or simply lean on one of the many bridges and gaze at the Ljubljanica River as it lazily loops past sites dating back to Roman times.

This city, with a population now numbering about 300,000, has survived the Huns, Romans, Ostrogoths and goodness knows who else. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Hapsburgs provided the necessary impetus to for it to become a major trading and episcopal force, a prominent centre of Protestant reformation. Luckily its magnificent city buildings mostly escaped destruction by war, and you can wander for hours in the Old Town, slipping back centuries as you do.

Ljubljana's most recent symbol is a golden dragon, wings poised for flight, mouth open as if in mid-shout. Ljubljana's residents love to tell visitors that the dragons at the Dragons Bridge wag their tails whenever a virgin passes by!

....learn more about Slovenia.

Lighting the Sails: Sydney

Most people are aware of the sail-like Sydney Opera House. Along with the 'coathanger' shape of Sydney Harbour Bridge, its outline has become an icon for Sydney. 

Vivid LIVE opens next week and to make sure you don't miss it, we'll be lighting the sails with a spectacular work of art for all to see! Multi-award winning German design collective URBANSCREEN has been commissioned to create a new projected work, a world exclusive, to transform the iconic sails from 25 May-11 June.

For just this short period these sails will be transformed with moving patterns and coloured lights. Watch the video to find out more....

Lamingtons:

Over a hundred years ago, a French chef in Brisbane - now there's a cultural divide to begin with - first knocked up an impromptu batch for some guests having afternoon tea with Lord Lamington, the second Baron of Lamington and Governor of Queensland from 1896 -1901. No doubt wanting to keep his job, on the spot the chef obsequiously dubbed them 'lamingtons', and undoubtedly the good Lord did nothing to let the guests know that they weren't biting into the results of an ancient family recipe handed down throughout the centuries along with his title. .....read more

Local produce:

The Australian Regional Food Guide, founded by Sally & Gordon Hammond, began as a book, published in 1999. It was revised in 2004 and then went on to become a website.

The website now lists thousands of producers, cafes, restaurants, markets, provedores and events throughout Australia - with the single common requirement being that each must produce, promote or showcase local produce. 

Over the past couple of decades there has been a worldwide trend to reverting to using produce that has been grown or sourced close to the table where it will be served and eaten.

The Slow Food movement is a world-wide group dedicated to bioethics. The Hundred Mile Diet has also become popular because it encourages people to source their foodstuffs from within a limited radius of their homes.

Farmers' markets are also important in their role of making fresh produce available with the added benefit that growers and customers can meet and share feedback and information.

Lemons:

(pic: Wikimedia Commons)

Lemon thins the blood, states an old wives' tale. The Romans however believed it could serve as a poison antidote, and even today some believe that lemon juice will dissolve a fishbone if it is caught in the throat. Lemonade is not new. It was actually first made in l603 in Paris and today is probably the world's favourite soft drink - after Coca Cola.

Lemons are best in autumn, ready for winter when their excellent vitamin C can help fight colds and their juice mixed with honey in hot water is a standard cold relief. Lemons add a fresh bright flavour to cakes, biscuits, sauces, meat dishes, fish, many fruits and drinks. The juice is a natural bleach, capable of removing stains from fingers, but should only be added just before serving to green vegetables, otherwise they will lose their bright colour.

When grating the rind for zest, do not grate into the white pith as this is bitter and will spoil the result. If both the rind and the juice is needed, grate the rind first from the whole fruit, then halve and juice the lemon. Lemons keep well for a few days at room temperature. If you need to keep them longer, rub the skins with vaseline.

Lentils:

(pic: Wikimedia Commons)

Lentils are believed to be the main ingredient in the 'pottage' that Jacob gave to Esau. Whatever colour the lentils were, we do know that Esau saw red when he realised how easily he had been duped into parting with his inheritance!

Religion had another hand in the history of the lentil. They were first introduced into USA by a German Seventh-day Adventist pastor who gave some to a farmer to plant. A Hindu proverb states adamantly: 'Rice is good, but lentils are my life'. Signs of their use have been discovered as long ago as 6750BC in Iraq, but in Scotland today they are known as 'Scottish cereal'.

Lentils have been called 'beans without the bother' for they contain much the same nutrients - fibre. protein, B vitamins and minerals - but they are quicker and less trouble to cook. Just cover l cup brown (sometimes called green) lentils with 4 cups water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover lightly and simmer for 30 minutes or until soft. Red lentils need even less time and are often ready in around 20 minutes. They are much softer and turn to a mush which can be ideal for some soups, patties and savoury dishes. Lentils are the basis of the side dish, dhal, used extensively in Indian cookery and, like most legumes, form a complete protein (actually a cup of cooked lentils has more protein than a serving of beef) when served with grains or other protein foods.