Mykonos may be alluring, Ibiza tantalizing, and St Tropez may have the ultimate swagger, but the Algarve in Portugal is my port of call for dreamy, charming and authentic. And the light: at sunrise, it’s luminescent with shades of cotton candy and bluebells; at sunset, it dissolves listlessly into a canvas of tangerine and ink.
Off to the Royal Opera House or the English National Opera? Whether you’re a Baroque buff or a ‘Norma’ novice, seated in the gods or near the pit, with the children or with your grandmama, it’s always best to take a pew after a proper supper. A night at the London opera or ballet is
My visit to Steinway pianos factory in Hamburg was a trip down black and white nostalgia lane. The first piece I ever penned for my creative writing degree was a portrait of my piano teacher, Sharko Hilbert. I chose her as my subject matter because I was still rooted in those Wednesday afternoons I spent
Tucked behind the Selfridges department store in Marylebone is the Wallace Collection, one of my favourite London haunts. It’s an eighteenth-century city pile with a jaw-dropping art collection and a 500-strong furniture depository which would make Marie Antoinette feel perfectly at home. It’s a sea of crimson red, rococo gold, salmon and strawberry pink, emerald
Is there anything better than a good book and a slice of cake? I think not. London has some enchanting bookshops where you can practically curl up with your favourite tome and tuck into a delicious slice and a cuppa. Here are 12 of the best bookshop cafes in London. Bookshop with the best cakeLondon
Diana, or Lady Di, as she was known, continues to fascinate us today, and the memory of the People’s Princess still beats at the core of London’s heart. Diana is omnipresent on the London map: the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, Playground and Memorial Walk, the Princess Diana Memorial Garden and her once home, Kensington Palace.
London has some of the world’s most iconic museums displaying the finest art money can’t buy, but it’s the capital’s little treasures that I want to share with you today. Ensconced in these historical gems, you can amble around at a snail’s pace, savour every museum inch and still have time for tea and cake
The British Dandy is still alive and well, and if you look closely, you’ll see them dotted all around London, especially during the Summer Season. A male friend of mine took me on a “man about town” weekend together with some other beaus and Berties who work for her Majesty’s pleasure. From chucking cheese soufflés
Deep in the rolling hills of Surrey is Grange Park Opera, set in the grounds of West Horsley Place, a magical location where you will find a crinkle-crankle wall, a woodland glade, an ancient orchard with a 300 year-old mulberry tree and a Theatre in the Woods ringing with first class opera. An evening with
Chiswick House and Gardens with its neo-Palladian style villa and 65 acres of exquisite park makes for a wonderful day out in west London. Explore Lord Burlington’s house, visit the Kitchen Garden, meander around the lake teeming with birdlife, marvel at the 18th century landscaping by William Kent, and stop off for coffee or lunch