Category Archives: Uncategorized
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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Up and down in San Francisco: the long walk
My recent ten-day business trip to Texas was preceded by a wonderful day in San Francisco. Arriving at the Stanford Court Hotel, I asked if my room had a view. Not from the third floor, confirmed the Reception Staff. Would you … Continue reading
Posted in Design and architecture, Entertaining, Food and wine, Friends, holiday, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Bay, cityscape, Ferry Building, friends, Houston, life, Nob Hill, North Beach, patisserie, San Francisco, shops, travel, USA, Walk, work
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California conversation and happy travels.
It was all going so well. My arrival at Heathrow in better than good time, the security experience easier than usual (I didn’t get stopped – a miracle) and time to drift through the stores in wonderment at the nonsense … Continue reading
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Karma Kandara: a travelogue
Last year was long and tough. One of the hardest aspects being how much I miss YoungestOfAll, The Exocet who now lives in Melbourne. Last Spring then, flights were booked for a three-week Christmas holiday. Deeming it necessary to shed some of the year’s … Continue reading
Posted in Food and wine, Friends, Health, holiday, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Bali, beach, Bliss, Cocktails, Garuda, holiday, Karma Group, Karma Kandara, Karma Resorts, life, Luxury, Massage, pamper, Relax, Spa, Treatments
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Bonhomoux: summer fabulousness in France
Mid-August arrived at last, delivering the welcome start of our summer holiday. We set out early and excited … remembering passports only as we climbed into a waiting taxi, an anxious moment that heralded a journey fraught with the mishap … Continue reading
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Scotland: reunions, drama, art & a poet
One rainy July afternoon, BB and I arrived at a remote part of Scotland where we found forty people sheltering under a large pergola tent, sharing a generous picnic. We had landed at the opening event of an Outlaw … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Design and architecture, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Life and romance, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Edinburgh, Edinburgh Casting Studio, Eeusk, Family, Hymns, Jacobite, Jock Scot, Leith Dockers Club, MacCaigs Tower, Mallaig, Memorial, Oban, Panorama, Scotland, Scottish Museum of Modern Art, Seacliff Beach, Trains, travel
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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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Charles Knevitt: a tribute
The day I heard that Charles had passed away, Paul Finch called to ask if I would write a tribute for The Architects’ Journal; surprised and honoured, I agreed. That evening I settled at our dining room table and stared … Continue reading
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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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