Category Archives: Life and romance

Colin the Magpie and Other Flights of Fancy


But Mum, that was G’s and my first home! exclaimed FirstBorn.Well … I don’t think you’ll be getting back in there any time soon … I replied The hysterectomy had been a long time coming, my Brighton NHS GP taking … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Health Screening, Home, Hospital, Life and romance, primary care, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

British hotels: Midlands, North and eventually, South


It’s a while since I shared travel tales but in the latter part of this year I traversed the length of England. Dear reader, please sit back and enjoy the narrative for at best I may raise a smile and … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, Business, Design and architecture, Economy, enterprise, Funding, investment, Life and romance, restaurant, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fanfare: The Noble Rot Mayfair


The email was addressed to Noble Rot Friends and Family; it was a first-come-first-served invitation to the brand new Mayfair soft launch. Happily, at 7:23pm on a Friday, I was still slaving over a hot keyboard and replied in seconds. … Continue reading

Posted in Eating out, enterprise, Entertaining, Food and wine, holiday, Life and romance, London, restaurant, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Landlords, tenants and an uneven playing field.


“Remember, tenants should be aware that at any time, in the periodical phase of their tenancy, they can be evicted by landlords – tenants should bear this in mind when standing up for their rights.”  This telling phrase appears in … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Consumer rights, Design and architecture, Family, Home, Landlords, Life and romance, London, property, Property agents, Property rental, Tenant rights, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Independent retail: the personal touch and a bit of a natter


Many moons ago, my then partner invited me to accompany him to a corporate Racing Day. I had a hunch there was something going on between him and his client so decided my look had to pack a punch. A … Continue reading

Posted in Buildings, Business, Consumer rights, Design and architecture, Economy, enterprise, Female Founders, Food and wine, Home, Life and romance, London, property, Shopping, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Costa del Wick: meadows, marshes and meanders.


A hen party nailed it. Enforced listening to fifteen twenty-something women singing Bohemian Rhapsody at un-rhapsodic volume just fifty yards from our bedroom was not making us happy; the fifth rendition at 5am broke our will to live … there. … Continue reading

Posted in AirB&B, architecture, Buildings, Design and architecture, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, property, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In praise of A Certain Age


“Not too bad for an Old Bird?” my question to BB was rhetorical: I felt fabulous. Older, better? Not quite better, but different – fabulous is allowed. The necessary mindshift for women of a certain age has to be in … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Life and romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I am a travelling female CEO: fly me.


I write from a noisy LA Airport Departures Lounge Bar; the muzak is ok, my Lady Bar Attendants funny, witty, sassy. They seem to like entertaining a female barfly; the flirtations of my lascivious male neighbour elicited polite tolerance and … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Consumer rights, Entertaining, Export, Family, Feminism, Food and wine, Friends, Life and romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Frames, facades, finials and flourishes: how buildings tell stories.


I have a window fetish. There, I’ve said it. Mullions or muntins* of different widths make my hair stand on end; they let the building down, its facade a jumble. Simply put, both God and the Devil are in the detail … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, Buildings, Craft, design, Design and architecture, Life and romance, London, property, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Female health and routine jiggery-pokery


I feel a caption competition coming on. Framed by my open thighs, the two women’s faces looked up and laughed. This check-up Down There was another reminder that internal female furniture requires all manner of routine maintenance to keeps things … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Hospital, Life and romance, Motherhood, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment