There is always something new to see and read on my blog, especially Instagram. As a multi-award-winning personal stylist in London and Surrey, I cover a wide range of things that interest me, focused mainly around the following: exploring interiors + art + architecture + style + fashion + travel + food + things that touch my imagination daily.
This delicious recipe was inspired by Aoife, the chef whom I met on an In:spa retreat. She prepared and cooked all our yummy meals over eight days, and I highly recommend you follow her on Instagram.
Serve this dish with anything you fancy: salads, potatoes, in a burger. Great for leftovers the next day for a packed lunch or an evening meal. It was delicious with the spiced cauliflower and pomegranate salad.
Well, we’ve just returned from a week of beach hopping in northeast Sardinia, and oh my giddy gosh, the beaches are INSANELY beautiful. Nowhere I’ve been in Europe has come close to the glorious sparkling sand and sea.
The Beach Huts are located in Felpham, just outside Bogner Regis on the Sussex coast, and we drove to Worthing first to meet a friend I hadn’t seen for 40 years. If we had gone to Felpham directly from South West London, the drive would have taken 90 minutes. By train from London, Victoria, it’s also approximately 90 minutes.
We recently went on a beautiful eight-night and three-Greek island hop without our children. We are midlifers just enjoying time together, so this blog isn’t centred around family-friendly holidays or holidays with teenagers. All the Hellenes and other travellers we met were friendly, helpful and hospitable. Food plays a big part in our decision-making when we choose holiday destinations. We both love to eat and are up for trying most things, especially fish; we love to swim (in the sea) and walk; and have downtime to read and for Tom to sketch. I’m conscious that our holiday priorities may not be everyone else’s cup of tea.
My best friend Clare was up for it. We re-jigged our diaries, and then on Friday, 26 May 2023, we flew from London Gatwick to Palma. My friend Clare and I were still determining what to expect, although we follow The Body Camp on Instagram and had a good old nosy on their website and read the reviews. It’s safe to say that it was an utterly incredible experience on many levels and surpassed our expectations. So here’s my blog on my no-nonsense thoughts on my seven days away.
Serves 12-14. Takes approx. 2 ½ – 3 hours, prep and cooking. But totally worth it! Make loads so you can refrigerate and batch freeze. This is a tried and tested recipe I’ve been making for years and sharing with friends all over the world. It’s delicious, and my family and friends love it. I learnt to cook at the aged of 13; my Mummyji would say to me, “Unless you learn to cook, you’ll never find a husband!”
After reading ‘A Theatre for Dreamers’ by Polly Samson for book club, I knew I had to visit the island of Hydra as the book depicted the island most beautifully. Besides, I love some of Leonard Cohen’s songs. The island didn’t disappoint, and Hydra has my heart.
During the Easter holidays, early April, we booked a holiday for five nights in Athens and two nights in Hydra. The temperature ranged from 6 to 18 degrees, and our weather apps were wildly inaccurate. Thankfully, we got lucky and had glorious sunshine with some light rain. I highly recommend packing lots of light layers and comfortable shoes. We didn’t use taxis or the Metro as we were happy to walk, clocking up an average of 20k steps daily, so we didn’t miss any sites, and it was a great way to soak up the atmosphere of this beautiful city.
I first tasted this delicious pate in France at my friend May Simpkin’s yoga retreat last year. May is a talented nutritionist, and please take a look at her website and recipes: https://maysimpkin.com/easy-tasty-french-sardine-pate/
Where classic meets boutique.
We were lucky enough to stay at the Great Northern Hotel @gnhotel for Tom’s birthday. The rooms evoke the magic, charm and sophistication of the heyday of the railways, brought right up-to-date to delight today’s guests. Beautifully designed to emphasise space, comfort and the character of the building. It’s the original railway hotel site since 1854; this hotel in the heart of the vibrant King’s Cross area didn’t disappoint.