OhNoCB:
The OP's whole purpose is to log "IFR time".
First, I'm not sure what he means by that any more, given mad_jock's post re EASA.
Second, I agree with your statement that you do not need a safety pilot for VMC portions of IFR flight. However, technically you cannot log "Actual Instrument" or "Simulated Instrument" time for those VMC portions. I will grant that few (if any) of us time it to the minute, but I'm discussing the "big picture" of the rules here. Even when you are IFR, there is NO requirement for ATC to provide separation from VFR traffic -- that is still your (and the other pilots') responsibility, hence the requirement to look outside the cockpit.
AFAIK, Actual and Simulated Instrument time in aircraft are treated the same for purposes of experience requirements. There is no "requirement" to have Simulated Instrument time, but it is widely used when flight in actual IMC is not available. For whatever reason, all logbooks I have seen break them down into the 2 types.
As to your last question, my statement as quoted is prefaced by "When flying under VFR..."
flydive1:
The only way to legally (in the US; still no UK or EASA rules posted) log Simulated Instrument time while VMC is to fly "head down" -- referring solely to instruments while using a "hood" or other vision-restricting device.
You can practice instrument procedures (e.g., fly an ILS approach procedure) all you want when solo and VFR and VMC. However, you cannot legally log those approaches or the time as actual or simulated approaches or instrument time for the purpose of satisfying regulatory minimums (e.g., minimum time or approaches to apply for an IR, or recency of experience requirements). I fly instrument procedures on over 90% of my flights in the 747, but I often log them as visual approaches because I am not IMC and use a VMC scan.