Category Archives: London
Airbnb: the nuisance neighbour
Hot on the heels of last week’s celebration of local loveliness comes a rude reminder that all is not quite rosy in our garden, for there is a fly amidst the buttercups and daisies. Well less fly, more monster for the house … Continue reading
Posted in AirB&B, Business, Family, Health, Home, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged business, landlord, neighbour, neighbourhood, noise, nuisance, property, rental, tired
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London E2: life’s good in the ‘hood
In April 2008 My Girls and I moved into a three-up-two-down on Wimbolt Street just yards away from Columbia Road, Bethnal Green. It is here that the world famous flower market takes place every Sunday. Despite our proximity to the … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Shopping, Uncategorized
Tagged Bethnal Green, Brick Lane, Casa Blue, Columbia Pharmacy, Columbia Road, dinners, John Birchall, Mai'da, Maks News, Neighbours, Organics, parties, Party, Pavilion Bakery, Precious, Wimbolt Street
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A Wanstead afternoon and other social shenanigans
It began on the first Friday of April. I had invited very old friends from Cambridge days of yore, people with whom I had mingled during the year of my secretarial training. The early ‘80s involved partner in crime, the … Continue reading
Posted in Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Home, Life and romance, London, Uncategorized
Tagged Art, Bethnal Green, Family, Food, friends, Giovanna Forte, life, Shoreditch, wine
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A London antidote: the joys and jewels of Northern Ireland
Mystical light, ruby skies and shades of green that dazzle the eye; rambling roads, rocky ups and rolling downs … This is Northern Ireland, a striking, beautiful place that flies in the face of expectation to reveal visual joy, drama … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Design and architecture, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, Home, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged architrecture, Ballyscullian Park, Ballywalter Park, Beaghmore, boyfriend, business, charles Lanyon, Church Island, County Tyrone, Cows, Family, Farm, Fermanagh, Finn, Giant' Causeway, gym, Holstein, Moss Pilates, Northern Ireland, Peezy, relaxation, rocks, Sperrins
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The poet, new friends and fifty strangers: a Christmas story.
Sunday. How I love Sunday. We wake just before ten to catch Radio 4’s finest, and with breakfast in bed relax to the familiar theme tunes that herald our favourite listening. All this before rising to buy flowers on Columbia … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Education, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, Home, Life and romance, London, Uncategorized
Tagged Albion & Boundary, Beauty Story, Body Shop, Budgens, Curry's, Dixons, Emrys Architects, Eyre Brothers, Genesis Cinema, Hammade, Harringtons, Harvey Goldsmith Productions, Hix Restaurants, Honey Kalaria, Jamal Delights, L'Oreal, Leon, London Small Business Centre, Lush, Marvling Bros, Moore Stephens, Moroccan Essentials, Mr Start, O'Oreal, Outstanding Careers Limited, PC World, Rachael Smith, Rapha, Sainsbury's, Skin & Tonic, Stirling Ackroyd, The Rivington, Toni & Guy, Urban Species, Vogue
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Diaries: soulmates, dates and derring-do.
“I need the dates of all the countries I have visited since 2005,” said The Exocet from Australia. “Could you please try and remember when and where we went on holidays and trips away?” Of course my darling; I have … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Entertaining, Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Home, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Uncategorized
Tagged Bethnal Green, boyfriend, children, Dating, diaries, diary, Family, life, memento, memories, Romance
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A new life-work balance … with buttercups and daisies
The start of this year heralded what I have come to think of as The Cancer Months, now happily behind me. Life has settled into a slower steadier pace; my body won’t accept any more or less and I listen … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Family, Friends, Health, Home, Life and romance, London
Tagged Bethnal Green, Bottega, business, cancer, Curtain Road, flowers, healthcare, meadow, medicine, Peezy, Rivington, Shoreditch, walking, work
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First impressions: the prêt à porter (re)collection
The black lace skirt with flesh tinted lining, a pale yellow silk blouse, one richly floral Chinese dress and a pair of black suede heels. These represent a handful of perfect pieces that hold memories, some momentary others momentous but … Continue reading
Posted in Design and architecture, Feminism, Friends, Life and romance, London, PR, Shopping
Tagged architecture, black, boyfriend, cobbler, fashion, floral, frock, garden, launch, pret a porter, restaurant, roses, shoes, skirt
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Feline frolics: an East End speakeasy and a cast of urban cats
It was the shimmering pink feather that gave the game away, nestled within the fronds of her fur. Oro came home after a night out, an exhausted Max following slinkily behind, the coat between his ears curiously flattened. The cat … Continue reading
Posted in Entertaining, Family, Friends, Life and romance, London
Tagged base dale, Bethnal Green, boudoir, cats, Columbia Road, Durant Street, East London, feather boa, Max, MAXI, nightery, nightlife, Oro, rooftop, speakeasy, taxi, tuxedo
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Moving out, moving in: one street and a grand new chapter
“October,” he said. “I’ll need the house back for my daughter.” My landlord sounded vaguely apologetic but businesslike on the phone. I had been his tenant for nearly seven years, moving in a hurry to escape with my daughters from … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged boyfriend, Daughers, evolution, growing-up, happiness, life, motherhood, moving house, parenthood, travel
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