I am knee deep in Lavandula x intermedia as chubby bumble bees buzz around my ankles. Not one to OM and namaste, I shriek at my photographer to hurry up. An expletive is uttered and the cherubesque family down the field shoot me a look of opprobrium before continuing with their own Sylvanian-families style photoshoot. … Continue Reading
If you’re sensible, sensitive or particularly frugal, you should never agree to a dinner with me. This is especially the case if you’re imagined lactose intolerant, a pescatarian or fastidiously discard the anchovies from your Ceaser (live a little), because whilst I can’t guarantee the food, I can guarantee you a miserable time. I am … Continue Reading
John Ruskin is known around the world for his lengthy essays, treaties and manuals covering everything from geology to ornithology. Yet one of the best-loved works by this infamous Victorian critic was in fact a fairy tale, which was never meant to be published at all. The King of the Golden River tells the story … Continue Reading
Venice is best seen from the water, in the half-light of an early morning or a fading day. There’s nothing quite like sailing the silence, past Gothic palazzos of shadowy rooms and magnificent chandeliers. As far as cities go, it’s a fly trapped in resin, with virtually no architectural development in modern times. A fourteenth … Continue Reading
We were in Venice for a wedding and since there’s nothing like riding on the coat-tails of someone else’s romance we decided to extend our trip, with a stay at the Aman Resort Venice and the Gritti Palace. Whilst I ordinarily abhor the concept of ‘romantic getaways’ – red roses make me queasy and candlelit … Continue Reading
The Mum Shoe Living in an individualistic society, encourages the very modern preoccupation with our own ‘uniqueness’. Be that as it may, there are certain things that come to define us. For me those things are: I’m a mum; an armrest hogger; a ladysplainer and a midget. Only two of the above are relevant to … Continue Reading
Nikki Wolff the creative force behind Nikki Makeup How long is too long to spend on your morning makeup? 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes? Whatever you just said, triple that and that’s how long it took me this morning. Like a Peterburgian craftsman working on a Faberge egg, I applied layer after layer of … Continue Reading
Why the Cheval Blanc Paradise in the Indian Ocean was a Huge Disappointment Let’s talk about The Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives. We have recently returned from this newly opened super-luxe hotel. By nature, I am not prone to harbouring grudges. However, this is not borne of some saintly forbearance on my part. Like any mercurial … Continue Reading
