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Sculptures by Igor Mitoraj in Siracusa
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One of the most popular attractions in Siracusa (or Syracuse) is visiting the Neapolis Archaeological Park. Why? Because it houses the most important ancient Greek and Roman remains of the city. Remains that date back centuries! Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. They may earn me a small commission but

Noto Cathedral in Sicily
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So many places to see, so little time, right? If you’re staying in Syracuse, Avola, Ragusa or even Catania, is a day trip to Noto worth it? I think so! Read on to find out how to spend a day in Noto and why it’s worth visiting. Disclosure: this post

Circle of Lebanon at Highgate Cemetery
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I’ve lived in London since 2004 and believe me when I say, you’ll never see everything there is to see in London – which is what makes London such an exciting city. I’ve put together a whole bunch of unique and fun things to do in London, whether you’re a

Stonehenge in Wiltshire
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I’ve lived in London since 2004 and have never visited Stonehenge, despite it being less than two hours away by car. It was only when my best friend was visiting from South Africa and said that visiting Stonehenge was ‘on her bucket list’ that I looked into a day trip.

Santa Marina in Salina
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Salina is one of the seven volcanic islands that make up the Aeolian islands in Sicily. We first visited the Aeolian islands in 2017, and stayed in Panarea and Lipari, but we did day trips to Vulcano to climb the volcano and Salina. This visit we decided to go back

Beach in Otranto Puglia
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Otranto is a beautiful coastal town in Puglia, which is located in the the heel of Italy. It’s about 45km from the stunning historic city of Lecce, so is easy to do as a day trip if you’re staying in Lecce. In fact, we first visited Otranto when we were

Restaurant at Capofaro in Salina
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Salina is such a beautiful island. I’ve been to most of the Aeolian islands and I have to say that Salina is probably my favourite. It’s a fairly big island with little towns so there are plenty of options of where to eat and drink in Salina. These are my

Relaxation area at Masseria dei Monaci in Otranto
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If you’re looking for a truly unique and historic place to stay in Puglia, stay in a masseria! A masseria is typically a fortified farmhouse, consisting of a number of stone or marble buildings, surrounded by a wall. Their origins can apparently be traced back to Roman times. In medieval

Ypres Museum in Rye
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Just over an hour by train from London’s St Pancras Station is the medieval town of Rye in East Sussex. Rye used to be a seaside town and was fortified by four gates (only one of which still exist) and it played an important part in defending the South Coast

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Bermondsey Street is one of my favourite streets in London. Particularly because it’s packed full of great places to eat! One of its newest eateries is Fleurie, a French-style bistro and wine bar with a real neighbourhood feel. I went for a mid-week dinner with my foodie friend Natalie and

The Summerhouse in Paddington
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We first discovered The Summerhouse in Paddington (well, really it’s in Little Venice) in 2016 and we’ve been going for lunch ever since. It’s a lovely restaurant anyway but when the sun is shining it transports you to the Mediterranean! Honestly, it doesn’t feel at all like you’re in the

Chicken skin with octopus from Bar Mut in Barcelona
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One of my favourite things to do on holiday is to eat! For me, there’s nothing better than having a fabulous meal, with chilled wine, preferably in a lovely setting. So when we go on holiday I love to get recommendations from others, who have been, on where to go

Views from the rooftop at Kimpton Vividora
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Barcelona is a beautiful, vibrant city with fabulous hotels to choose from. We stayed at the stylish and colourful Kimpton Vividora in the Gothic Quarter of the city and loved it. Here’s my honest and unbiased review of the Kimpton Vividora hotel in Barcelona. Affiliate links disclosure: I may receive

Lunch at Kora by Tom Kitchin in Edinburgh
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Tom Kitchin was the youngest chef in Scotland to be awarded a Michelin star back in 2007, when he was 29 years old, for his flagship Leith restaurant The Kitchin. He has since opened a number of restaurants over the years, including Kora which is located in the Bruntsfield area

Thyme in the Cotswolds
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The Cotswolds is a very special and beautiful part of the UK. With its close proximity to London, it makes for a perfect weekend getaway. It’s also very big! At around 800 square miles, the Cotswolds runs through five counties – Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire – so there’s

The fireplace in the lounge at The Ludlow Hotel in New York
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The Ludlow Hotel is located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, which is a very cool neighbourhood in easy walking distance of Chinatown, Little Italy, Nolita and both the Williamsburg and Brooklyn bridges. We stayed for five nights over New Year in 23/24 and really enjoyed our stay. We paid for

Chinatown in Singapore
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We first visited Singapore in 2009 and 14 years later a lot has stayed the same but also a lot has changed. For one, the food scene in Singapore is way more incredible than I remember – we ate so well and didn’t have a bad meal. Another thing that

Ayung Terrace at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
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We are a fan of the Four Seasons hotel group and have stayed at many of their resorts around the world. They are always beautifully decorated, with lovely, spacious rooms and friendly, professional service. Four Seasons actually has two resorts in Bali – Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and

Monkey Forest in Ubud Bali
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Each month I look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me moments of joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for November. Explored a new country We started November in Bali, a popular island in Indonesia. We’ve never been to Indonesia before so that was another country

Beef course from Chef's Table in Singapore
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When researching where to eat in Singapore, we asked friends who are frequent travellers to the country for recommendations, read blogs and watched YouTube videos. We spent seven nights in Singapore and had pre-booked five restaurants, leaving room for ones we might stumble across. There is an incredible restaurant scene

A boat on a river in Singapore
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Each month I like to look back and reflect on what brought me joy and happiness. October was a fairly busy month with lots of delicious meals and catch-ups with friends. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for October! Lunch with Natalie Lunch with my friend Natalie, and her littlest one,

Matera in Basilicata
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Matera is probably the most unique place I’ve ever visited. It is absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring to visit a city that dates back to the Stone Age and is one of the oldest, continually inhabited cities in the world. I highly recommend a visit to Matera, the city of caves

Margherita Theater in Bari
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Bari, in Puglia, is known as the ‘gateway to the East, due to its history of trade. It’s a fascinating city that is full of charm. Many people fly in to Bari to go onto other destinations in Puglia but I’d highly recommend spending a few days exploring Bari and

City of Matera in Basilicata
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Each month I like to look back and choose ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. September was full of friends and food! And a fabulous trip to Basilicata and Puglia. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for September. Drinks with Neha At the beginning of September I

Aperol Spritz on a rooftop
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I think it’s so important to take the time to reflect on small (and big) moments of joy. That’s why each month I look back and write about ten things that made me happy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for August! Team away day At the beginning of the month,

Fontana Pretoria in Palermo Sicily
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Palermo is the capital of Sicily and the gateway to the Egadi islands, including the largest, Favignana. It’s also where you fly to the islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria, both of which are close to Africa. Other amazing places in Sicily to visit, which are close to Palermo, are Castellammare

Gadír in Pantelleria
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Each month I like to write about ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. Sometimes they are small things, such as a good book and other times they’re a bit bigger… like a holiday on an amazing Italian island. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for July! Lunch

Where to visit in Puglia
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Puglia is the region that sits in the ‘heel’ of Italy and is affectionately called the ‘breadbasket’ because it’s one of the top producers of durum wheat. It’s a more affordable Italian holiday than regions in the north, such as Tuscany or Veneto. It’s also quite diverse with its beautiful

Historic buildings in Brindisi
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Brindisi is a port city in the Salento region of Puglia, Italy’s heel. The region is known for its beautiful beaches as well as some gorgeous towns, including Brindisi, Gallipoli, Ostuni, Lecce and Otranto. We’ve flown into Brindisi many times to stay in other towns so we thought it was

London Skyline along the Thames at dusk
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Each month I like to look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. These are my ‘ten happy things’ for June! Completed Orlo on Tour In June I delivered four sessions (6 in total but 2 were in May) for social media management platform, Orlo,

Selection of fried pizza starters on a wooden table.
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Each month I look back and write about ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. Seems that May was filled with yummy meals – including fried pizza! Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for May. Trustee away day At the beginning of the month the charity that I’m

Plaza de la Virgen in Valencia
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We visited Valencia over the Easter weekend and spent three nights in the city, which was enough time to see most of the top sights in Valencia. If you’re looking for a long weekend away, with sunshine, delicious food, history and culture – put Valencia on your list! Last year

Valencia Cathedral
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Each month I like to look back on the month just passed and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for April! Easter in Valencia We were going to spend Easter in Manchester, a city we’ve never been to, but then the

Amy Winehouse mural in Camden
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Each month I reflect on the month that’s been and write about ten things that sparked joy and that I was grateful for. These are my ‘ten happy things’ for March. Lunch with Deana At the beginning of the month I met up with my lovely friend Deana at Burgh

The Manor House hotel in the Cotswolds
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Each month I like to look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. February is my birthday month so there were many happy moments – it was hard to whittle them down to just ten! So, here are my ‘ten happy things’ for February. Pre-birthday

The Burnt City neon sign
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I can’t believe it’s been five years since I started my monthly ‘ten happy things’ series! I love reflecting on the month just gone and writing about all the joyous moments. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for January. Ringing in the New Year in Washington DC We rang in 2023

The Parlour at MiMi Mei Fair
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Tucked away behind Green Park station on Curzon Street, in London’s stylish Mayfair neighbourhood, is an absolute gem of a restaurant – with serious Wes Anderson vibes. Stepping into MiMi Mei Fair feels like stepping back in time, to a bygone era of style and opulence. We’ve eaten twice at

Colourful buildings in Georgetown in Washington
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I can’t believe it’s my last ‘ten happy things’ post for the year! And it’s a cracker… as you can see, there were many delicious meals this month – lucky me! Panettone at the Italian Embassy I was delighted to be invited to the Italian Embassy as part of Italian

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Cape Town is such a beautiful, vibrant city and one of my favourite cities in South Africa. Whether you’ve got three days or 2 weeks, there’s so much to see and do for all ages and all budgets. Having been to this stunning city around seven times, here’s the best

Buffalo crossing in the African bush
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Each month I reflect on the month past and write about ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for November. An incredible safari holiday We started the month of November in South Africa on an incredible safari. We were meant to have

Plate of prime meat from TDQ Steaks
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I was invited to review TDQ Steaks in London and took along my gorgeous friend Natalie and her 12 week old baby boy. The restaurant was very accommodating and gave us a table with enough space for the buggy. Located on Albert Embankment, TDQ Steaks is a short walk from

A scene of St Mark's Square in Venice
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Each month I like to look back and choose ten things, to write about, that made me happy and brought me joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for October. Cat sat Dandy We looked after Dandy, my neighbour’s cat, twice this month. I love it when Dandy visits! He is

Roman Amphitheater in Lecce
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Lecce is a historic city in Puglia, the heel of Italy. It’s referred to as the ‘Florence of the South’ and is famous for its beautiful Baroque buildings, which are found all around the city. If you’re a lover of history, architecture and culture, you will adore Lecce – in

Drinking coffee in Lecce
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Each month I look back on everything that happened and choose ten things to write about that made me happy or brought me joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for September. Lunch with Deana in Hampstead I met up with my friend Deana for lunch and a catch-up in Hampstead

Doric Temple of Segesta from a distance
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I hadn’t heard of the historical site of Segesta until my husband took me there as a surprise when we were staying in nearby Castellammare del Golfo, and I’m delighted he took me as it’s absolutely phenomenal and a must-see if you’re in north-west Sicily. How to get to the

Restaurant with sea view in Lampedusa
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Looking for a beach holiday where pretty much only Italians go? Then head to Lampedusa! It’s Italy’s most Southern island and around 113 km from Tunisia in Africa. It’s in the region of Sicily. How do I know only Italians really go to Lampedusa? Because in the six days we

Courgette pizzetta
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Each month I like to look back and reflect on what brought me joy and happiness. August was a very busy month as I had my family over from Canada for two weeks. It was wonderful to see them after three years! I spent a lot of time playing tourist

Venus Castle in Erice Sicily
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Love history, cobbled streets and castles? If you’re in the Trapani region of Sicily, you simply cannot miss a visit to the beautiful, Medieval town of Erice! Where is Erice? You’ll find Erice in North Western Sicily, in the province of Trapani. It’s located 751 meters above the sea and

Rabbit Beach Lampedusa
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Lampedusa is Italy’s most southern island, only 113km from Africa. It’s part of Sicily and can be reached by plane or ferry – we flew directly from Palermo. It’s the perfect destination for an Italian beach holiday! I’ve been to some stunning beaches around the world and to some of

Temple of Segesta
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Each month I like to look back and write about ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. They can be really small or big, such as a holiday. This month we went on holiday twice so there was lots to be happy about! Here’s my ‘ten happy

Aragonese Castle in Ischia
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Our first visit to Ischia was back in 2009 and we’ve been back many times since. We always discover something new – like a vineyard on our last visit! It’s quite a big island with lots of different areas to explore, as well as being a good base for a

Santa Maria Bagno
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Each month I like to reflect back and choose ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. Time seems to just fly by so it’s always nice to pause and remember what I got up to. I started the month quite unwell so June wasn’t as busy as

Lucca in Tuscany
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Lucca is a city in Tuscany, just a 30 minute drive from Pisa. It’s famous for the medieval walls that encircle the historic old town, as well as its towers and historical churches. Lucca was also apparently an important meeting place for Julius Caesar and Marcus Crassus. In 1822 the

Panoramic view of Lucca
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Each month I look back and reflect on what brought me happiness and moments of joy. May was quite a busy month, although unfortunately I was also unwell in the last week and unable to enjoy any Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The last week was spent at home, reading, watching movies

Isola Bella in Taormina
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We love Taormina in Sicily and have visited many times. I don’t know about you, but I love going back to a place. I love already having a sense of the restaurants I really liked, which beaches were the best, where the best coffee was served… but also, it’s amazing

L'Atelier in London
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London is home to many fine dining and Michelin starred restaurants, serving a range of cuisines. Here are the top fining dining restaurants that I have personally been to and recommend. There are also quite a few that are fine dining that I’ve been to that didn’t make this list!

Steas de Sevilla
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Each month I look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. Sometimes they’re really small things, like a bunch of daffodils and sometimes they’re big – like a holiday. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for April! Ran 5k For the first time in goodness knows

Seville cathedral
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We visited the beautiful city of Seville, in the Andalusia region of Spain, over Easter. We had three full days and whilst one more day would’ve been ideal, it was still plenty of time to see most of the sights. Seville is an easy city to get around and you

Master bedroom at Matisse Suite Edinburgh
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My husband and I booked The Matisse Suite, a luxury Edinburgh apartment, back in December 2021 when we were visiting my dad over Christmas. I was then invited back by owners, and Edinburgh couple, James and LeeAnn to review their lovely apartment. So I have stayed here twice – once

Edinburgh Castle
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Each month I look back and reflect on memories and moments that brought me joy. There’s something really lovely about writing them down and I even like reading old posts to see what my ‘happy things’ were in previous months and even years. Here’s what made me happy and brought

Thyme in the Cotswolds
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For my birthday, my husband took me to Thyme, in Southrop. Thyme is a luxury Cotswolds hotel that describes itself as a ‘village within a village’. It is family owned and started life as a cookery school in 2007. Over the next 10 years it was developed, buildings were restored

The Baa bar at Thyme in the Cotswolds
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Each month I look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. As February is my birthday month, there was lots of things to be happy about! Of course the attack on Ukraine has been terribly devastating and my heart goes out to everyone who is

Sushisamba London
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Despite having lunch a few years ago at Sushisamba in Miami, which I enjoyed, I had yet to try the Heron Tower branch in London! So when my friend Fee and I were planning my birthday lunch – and I saw the weather was going to be good – I

Lunar New Year at Mimi Mei Fair
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Each month I reflect on the month that’s passed and write about ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. January was a great month, with lots of happy moments. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for January! Ate delicious food in New York Since we were in New

Best books to read
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I am a massive bookworm! I adore reading and am trying to incorporate it more into my daily routine. Back in 2020 I set myself a goal to read a book a month, as sadly I wasn’t reading as much as I wanted to. That year I read sixteen books,

pasta dishes
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Updated May 2024 We’re partial to a bit of Italian on a Saturday for lunch. Isn’t everyone? Whilst Italian cuisine is one of the best in the world (or THE best if you’re speaking to my Italian husband) there can be bad or ‘meh’ Italian restaurants. Believe me, there is

Brooklyn Bridge view
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I can’t believe that it’s coming up to three years that I’ve been writing my ‘ten happy things’ blog post series! I love writing these posts because it makes me pause, reflect and remind myself of happy moments in the month that’s just passed. And I love reading back on

Four Seasons Mauritius swimming pool
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Each month I look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. Sometimes it’s something very small, like enjoying the change in seasons, and other times it’s really big – like a holiday abroad. November had a bit of both! A holiday in Mauritius At the

Christmas gifts and decor
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Christmas is one of the busiest (if not THE busiest) time of the year for businesses. This year, instead of buying exclusively from big brands, why not look to support small UK businesses and your local independent shops? I’ve rounded up a list of small UK businesses selling beautiful products

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Every month I look back and reflect on all the things that happened that month and what brought me joy. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for October. Co-working day at the British Library This month I met up with Madeleine, who I’m working with on a social media strategy for

Marzamemi in Sicily
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Each month I look back and reflect on what made me happy and brought me joy. I love writing these posts as I get to relive some happy memories. These are my ten happy things for September! A much-needed holiday in Sicily With Covid-19 meaning that countries keep changing on

Mdina in Malta
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Malta is a country, made up of five islands, that sits between Sicily and North Africa. It has a fascinating (and turbulent) history because of its strategic position. The five islands are Malta, Gozo, Comino and the uninhabited Kemmunett (Comminotto) and Filfla. Malta is VERY old! Apparently there are archaeological

Osteria RossoDiVino in Taormina
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We’ve been to Taormina many times over the years and enjoyed wonderful meals. There are so many eating options to choose from – from street food to pizzerias to fine dining. In fact, according to Tripadvisor there are 205 restaurants in Taormina so how do you ensure you choose the

Selfie in King's Cross with Holly by the canal
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I love writing these monthly posts as it gives me a chance to reflect on the month that’s been and remember all the joyful moments. This month was great with lots of sociable events! Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for August. Met Clare and Sonny I met Clare on Instagram

Darcie & May Green boat in Paddington
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If you’ve not been to Paddington, in London, for a few years you may be forgiven for thinking it’s basically just a major train station or a quick way to get to central London from Heathrow. But you’d be wrong! Paddington is such a vibrant area now with loads of

Hand holding a wine glass with a sunset in the background
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Every month I like to look back on what made me happy and brought me joy. July was a fantastic month with so many things to be thankful for. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for July! A long weekend in Norwich We were meant to be going to Malta but

Netflix comedy boxsets
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Now I love a good box set. Something to get totally absorbed in and that you can get invested in the characters. My favourite genre is probably true crime documentaries but I love comedy too – especially as sometimes when work and life is a bit stressful, I just want

Norwich riverside
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George Barrow, a 19th century writer, described Norwich as ‘a fine city’ and a fine city it certainly is. Located on the River Wensum, in the county of Norfolk, Norwich is under two hours by train from London – making it a great day out or a perfect getaway for

Food van in the Cotswolds
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At the end of each month I pause and reflect on the month that’s passed and think of everything that made me happy and brought me joy. I feel it’s important to take joy from even the smallest of things and to try to make the most of each day.

Edinburgh Castle
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It’s that time of the month where I pause and reflect on everything that happened and write about ten things – big or small – that made me happy and brought me joy. Despite May being the rainiest month I can remember… it was a good one – especially as

Prosecco on a rooftop
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It’s my favourite time of the month when I look back and reflect on what I did throughout the month and what brought me joy. Sometimes they’re really small things, like warm, sunny days and sometimes they’re bigger – like a rooftop lunch with a friend, overlooking the city. I

Flat lay of a mobile phone, pen and flowers on a light blue background
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I bet, like me, you spend a lot of time looking at screens. Whether it’s your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop or TV. We all know that too much screen time isn’t good for us but it’s hard to break habits. I’m trying to make a conscious effort to spend less

Mixed mini brownies
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Every month I pause and look back on the month that’s past and choose ten things that made me happy. I think it’s important to acknowledge moments of joy, particularly as we’ve been living in a pandemic for a year now. March was a very busy month with work and

birthday treats from a bakery
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Every month I like to look back and think of ten things that made me happy, brought me joy or that I’m grateful for. February was my birthday month and usually I do something lovely on the day and go to a spa, however this year it had to be

Cool things to do in Tokyo
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Tokyo is such a fascinating city. It’s a wonderful mix of old and new, with ancient temples and shrines nestled among the skyscrapers and shops selling the latest technology. It’s also a really fun city! If you’re planning a trip, here are 17 cool things to do in Tokyo. Play

The Truants
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It’s the start of a new year, which I always find energising, but we’re currently in lockdown (again), it’s cold and wet… so I must admit it was slightly challenging to find ten things to be happy about this month. Still, I did and they are pretty awesome if I

Tonnara di Scopello
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Having an Italian husband means that I travel to Italy every year – lucky me! It suddenly dawned on me that the region we’ve visited the most is Sicily. As Italy’s largest island, Sicily is a great region to explore – by car, train or boat. Here’s all the amazing

Fake Heiress podcast
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Something you probably don’t know about me is that my degree is in Criminology and Psychology. At one point I wanted to become a Forensic Psychologist but changed my mind as I didn’t think I could actually deal with real life crime and death. So it’s no wonder I love

A pile of books
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Every month I reflect on the month that’s been and write down ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. Despite Tier 4 restrictions there was still a lot to be happy about and grateful for. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for December! Lunch at Margot We love

Christmas afternoon tea
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Last year I bought my husband Afternoon Tea for Two at The Landmark, a beautiful luxury hotel in London’s Marylebone. With lockdowns and restrictions taking place throughout the year we only just managed to book the tea – almost an entire year later! But it was worth the wait though

London mural by Jimmy C
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It’s been a funny old month. Lockdown in London was announced just as we were meant to be going away on holiday, which resulted in us spending most of our holiday at home – doing not much! Still, there’s always something to be thankful for, which is what these posts

Christmas gift guide
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What do you buy people who seem to have everything and want nothing? Honestly, every year it’s a struggle to buy great gifts for my husband in particular. He loves Christmas but isn’t bothered at all about getting presents. However he spoils me rotten so there’s no way I could

Top of the rock cable car Gibraltar
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Travel

Cable cars around the world

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A cable car is not something I seek out when I go on holiday but I’m always delighted when there is one! This is because a cable car (or chair lift or mountain gondola) usually means there are some spectacular views to be had. Here’s a variety of cable cars

Autumn leaves
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Every month I like to reflect and choose ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. I think it’s important to remind ourselves of what we’re grateful for – no matter how small – particularly in these uncertain times. Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for October! Discovered a

A weekend in Windsor
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If you’re planning a visit to London, you absolutely have to visit Windsor! Why? Well it has a gorgeous castle for one, which is home to the Queen (well, one of her homes!), it’s a charming historic town and it’s less than an hour from London by train. Note that

Negombo wellness spa Ischia
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Ischia is a volcanic island off the coast of Naples and somewhere we’ve been holidaying for many years – it’s one of our favourite islands! As a volcanic island, it has natural hot springs and volcanic mud. There are plenty of spa hotels all over the island as well as

Lunch at Babbo
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I think it’s important to reflect on the things that I’m grateful for that and bring me joy, which is why every month I write a post on ten things that made me happy. Here are my ‘ten happy things’ for September! A wonderful break in Capri We were so

Coffee on a tray
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If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that every month I like to reflect and choose ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. August was all about meeting up with friends! Drinks with Kaye I met my friend Kaye for drinks on the first Friday in August.

Favignana Town Centre
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Imagine a small Italian island where you can easily cycle from beach to beach and the beaches have the most incredible water you’ve ever seen, with different hues of blue sparkling in the sunshine…. That’s Favignana! Favignana is the largest of the three Egadi islands, off the west coast of

Swimming in Cala Rossa
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Every month I look back and reflect on ten things that brought me joy and made me happy. July was a good month with lots to be happy about so here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for July. Completed Couch to 5k! As soon as the gyms had to close in

Whitstable seaside
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With Coronavirus putting a stop to our Italian holiday plans, we took ourselves off to Whitstable for a long weekend. I’d long wanted to visit this seaside town on the Kent coast as I’d heard such great things about it so I was quite excited! Whitstable is pretty small so

Street art in Camden
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Every month I look back on the month past and choose ten things that made me happy, brought me joy or that I’m grateful for. It’s been a tough few months with Coronavirus and being in lockdown but we’re slowly coming out of it, with restrictions being lifted so that’s

Ice-cream on the beach in Margate
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The UK is a great place to holiday as there is so much to explore. From quaint seaside towns to cities with castles, the UK has much to offer Here are my suggestions for where to go in the UK for a holiday. Seaside breaks Margate If you’re looking for

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It’s been a funny old month. We started the month still in lockdown but then restrictions have been eased to allow us out as much as we want. However, with most places still closed it’s not made a huge difference however it has been nice to have a bit more

Netflix comedy boxsets
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*Updated in January 2023* I love watching TV. Just like a good book, there’s nothing like losing yourself in a great TV show. When I grew up in South Africa we had three TV channels (yes, three!) and one paid channel. That was it. Nowadays we have hundreds of channels,

Vintage Fiat 500 in Notting Hill
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So we’re on day 786 of lock down (not really, but it’s felt like that at times) and the end is in sight (again, not really. But restrictions will be lessened). How has it gone for you? Usually my monthly ‘ten happy things’ posts are full of restaurants I’ve eaten

Cherry blossoms in London
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Coronavirus has turned life as we know it upside down. Although it’s incredibly unsettling – and also frustrating – there have been many benefits too. For example, it’s made me more mindful of things that I just took for granted. I’ve also slowed down and am enjoying more time to

Five tried and tested home workouts
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Now, I’m no gym bunny but I do like to work out. Not only is it good for my physical health, it’s really good for my mental health too. In fact, if I’ve not done any exercise for about three or four days, I definitely feel my mood change. Sometimes

Frida socks
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What a funny old month it’s been. With Cornavirus dominating the headlines and having to go into lock down, it’s been difficult trying to stay positive and be happy… But of course there have been lots of things that have brought me joy this month (although lots that have also

Starters at Lina Stores
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Whether you’re just visiting London or you live in the city, here are 21 awesome places to eat. With a melting pot of cultures, you’ll find meals to suit every taste and budget. I have personally visited every single one of the places I’m recommending – some several times (even

Luigi the fiat 500
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We first came across Babbo, an Italian restaurant around the corner from The Ritz, a few years ago after it was on Masterchef the Professionals. We used to go fairly regularly until one day we arrived and there was another restaurant in its place…. I remember very clearly because it

Birthday girl
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Every month I look back and reflect on the month that’s past and choose ten things that made me happy and brought me joy. February is my birthday month so there was lots to be happy about! My birthday party I celebrated a milestone birthday and I honestly went round

view from Brooklyn Bridge
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Every month I look back and reflect on the month that’s past and choose ten things that made me happy and that I’m thankful for. Here are my ten happy things for January. Exploring New York We started the new year in New York, which is hands down one of

street art in Bushwick Brooklyn
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Updated January 2024 My husband and I just LOVE New York, which is why we’ve visited 7 times since 2012. We just can’t get enough of it! It’s definitely one of those cities we could see ourselves living in because it’s just got everything. Over the years we’ve seen, done

Norma London
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I adore eating out. I mean, who doesn’t? One of my favourite things about travelling is researching which restaurants to try. Here are my top eating experiences of 2019 – most are in London, where I live, but there are a few further afield. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal My husband

Pile of books to read
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Lifestyle

My goals for 2020

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I’ve deliberately not called these ‘resolutions’ because that means you’ve made a decision to do (or not do) something – and I personally find that hard to stick to as there’s not much flexibility. So I’m calling them goals instead because that implies something to work towards and will be

Verona
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Looking for some holiday inspiration? I’ve asked some of my favourite travel bloggers to share the destination they loved in 2019 and that they think you should put on your 2020 travel list. Get ready for some travel wanderlust! Tallinn by Bejal of BE-LAVIE The jewel of the Baltics and

Domino Park Williamsburg
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I can’t believe it’s been over a year now of doing my ‘ten happy things’ monthly posts! I really enjoy writing these as it makes me reflect over the month that’s past and to think of what brought me joy. I think it’s a great exercise to do. Will you

Tian Tan Big Buddha
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This year for our two week holiday we decided to combine Hong Kong with the Maldives. We do love our city break/beach holiday combos! I like to travel without that many expectations (probably so I’m not disappointed) so I wasn’t really sure what to expect of Hong Kong. One thing

Cycling at Reethi Rah
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At the end of each month I like to reflect on what happened that month and what brought me joy. November has been a fabulous month with lots of highlights and many things to be thankful for, so here are my ‘ten happy things’! A dream holiday in the Maldives

Seabird seafood bar
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My friend Mitzie and I met for lunch last month and she recommended Seabird in Southwark, which opened its doors in September. Despite being a food lover and eating out at least once a week, I’d not heard of it so I was excited to try it. It’s situated on

Street art in Edmonton
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Whenever I mention ‘Edmonton’, most people think I’m talking about North London. Nope, I’m talking about Canada! Although ironically it is actually named after its London counterpart. My sister and her family moved to Edmonton, which is the capital of Alberta, in 2007 and I’ve now visited three times. Edmonton

Ngong Ping 360 cable car
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Every month I like to look back on the month just past and choose ten things I’m thankful for and brought me joy. Here are my ten happy things for October. Trip to Brighton My friend Heather recently moved to Brighton and she’s a fellow freelancer like me. My other

Edmonton Alberta in Canada
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It’s that time of the month again! Time to look back at the month that’s just passed and choose ten things that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. Here are September’s ten happy things. Family time in Edmonton My mom and my sister and nephews live in Edmonton,

Exploring San Vito lo Capo
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Our summer holiday this year combined two places in Sicily (well three as we stayed a night in Palermo) – Cefalù and San Vito Lo Capo. As well as being on opposite sides of Palermo, they are very different to each other, which made it a great holiday! Cefalù is

Vancouver skyline
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Every month I like to look back and reflect on the month just past and what brought me joy. Here are my ten happy things for August! Floral day out with Fee I was invited to explore Covent Garden as part of a brand sponsored post so I took along

The Grand Duchess floating restaurant
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Over the last few years, Paddington Basin has had a major revival and there are now lots of bars and restaurants along the Grand Union Canal, making it a really vibrant, buzzing place. I was walking along one day and spotted a new edition – The Grand Duchess. It looked

Naples
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In June we visited Procida, an island near Naples, for four nights. Due to the time of our flight back home, we needed to stay a night in Naples. We’ve flown into Naples countless times over the years en-route to the Amalfi Coast, Capri or Ischia and the most we’d

Cefalu Sicily
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There’s much in my life to be grateful for but it’s also easy to get carried away with day-to-day life and forget to be thankful. That’s why at the end of each month I look back and reflect on ten things that made me happy. Here are my ten happy

Neal's Yard courtyard Covent Garden
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I remember first visiting Covent Garden when I was 18 and on holiday from South Africa. It was then, and still is, one of my favourite areas of London. If you’re visiting the capital, it’s a wonderful area to explore as well as a great location to stay, with many

Giraffes in South Africa
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If you live in Europe or North America, then you luck out with the exchange rate for South Africa so why not make the most of your money and visit this majestic country? South Africa is a land rich in natural beauty and diversity and offers something for everyone, no

Riserva dello Zingaro in Sicily
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Back in 2015 I blogged about five of the best Italian beaches. Four years later I thought it’s probably time to update the list since I’ve visited loads more! Suffice to say some haven’t made this new list, although they’re still pretty amazing so check out the other post too.

Couch to 5k
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That was the question I asked myself when I downloaded the App onto my iPhone about 3 months ago. I’d heard great things about it but there was a nagging feeling in my head telling me, ‘Kirsty, you’re not a runner! Never have been, never will be.’ but I was

Procida island in Italy
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Procida is an island around 40 minutes by ferry from Naples in Italy. You may recognise its iconic colourful buildings or if you’re a fan of Italian films, it’s where Il Postino (The Postman) is set. It also features in the American film, The Talented Mr Ripley. If you’re looking

Procida island
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At the end of each month I look back and reflect on ten things that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. Here’s my ten happy things for June. Pizza for losers At the beginning of the month I attended Pizza for Losers, an event that celebrated failure and

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Last month I found myself with a day off and fancied getting out of London for the day. I didn’t want to go too far and remembered on the way to Margate last year, passing Rochester which looked lovely from the train window. I actually have a book, called Escape

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I think it’s so important to actively think about things that bring joy to your life. That’s why every month I look back and write about ten things that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. This is May’s 10 happy things! Lunch with Fee in Chiswick I first

Couch to 5k a review
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Thinking of giving Couch to 5k a go? I’m officially just over half way now and really enjoying it. Here’s my honest thoughts on the programme and how it’s working for me. A couple of months ago I decided I was going to start running. Part of my motivation is

Nyhavn in Copenhagen
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I love the Easter weekend because it’s one of the few Bank Holidays my husband doesn’t have to work, which means that we can go away for a few days. Over the years we’ve spent Easter in different parts of the UK and further afield like Rome, Madeira, Lisbon and

Lunch at Casse-Croûte in Bermondsey
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At the end of every month I look back and reflect on ten things that made me happy. Here are my Ten happy things for April! Dinner at Aqua Shard Earlier in the month I had dinner with a friend I’ve not seen for ages. I met Mignon years ago

Bristol coloured houses
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Travel UK

A weekend in Bristol

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In March I travelled to Bristol twice for work and stayed overnight. Having only been to Bristol once before on a day trip for work, it seemed the perfect opportunity to stay the weekend. Here’s what we got up to. For work I stayed at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel

Bristol coloured houses
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Every month I like to look back at the month just past and choose ten things that made me happy. I really like doing this as it helps me to be reflective and reminds me to be grateful. Here are my ten happy things for March. A spa day at

Making a parmatini
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A couple of weeks ago I was invited to attend a cocktail making class with Parmigiano Reggiano at TT Liquor in Shoreditch. We were going to get to make a cocktail and then enjoy a three course meal, with a Parmesan theme, with matched cocktails. It sounded fabulous – and

Who the hell is Hamish podcast
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Over the last year or so I have REALLY gotten into podcasts. I listen to podcast episodes at least once (but sometimes twice) a day and I’m always searching for the next binge-worthy series to add to my library. I love how you can listen to them on the go,

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At the end of every month I like to look back and reflect on ten things that made me happy and that I’m thankful for. February is my birthday month so there was lots to be happy about this month! A trip up to Edinburgh Earlier in the month I

Lullaby book
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At the end of each month I like to look back and reflect on ten things that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. Here’s my ten happy things for January! Ringing in the New Year in Chicago We spent New Year in Chicago and loved it! What a

Seychelles Desroches beach
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Growing up in South Africa, the Seychelles or Mauritius was always a popular holiday destination for people as they’re only about a five hour flight away, yet I’d not been to either. In November we combined Mumbai with a week in the Seychelles – a bit of an odd choice,

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At the end of each month, I look back and choose ten things that made me happy and that I’m thankful for. Here are my Ten Happy Things for December. Blogosphere Festival At the beginning of December I attended my first ever Blogosphere festival, which was at the Landmark hotel

Living room Four Seasons Mumbai suite
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We did a fair amount of research when looking at hotels in Mumbai and the Four Seasons stood out for its style, elegance and value for money. I read a few reviews and every one of them was really positive and many said how great the location was so we

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Mumbai
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Mumbai is unlike any place I’ve ever visited! It’s such a busy, bustling city crammed full of people, cars (and even animals) everywhere you look. The way people drive is … interesting to say the least and it’s definitely a 24 hour city that never sleeps. Although there are buses

Staff at Masque Mumbai
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I am so late with this post but better late than never! October was a busy month and here are ten things that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. Cooking with Parma Ham I was invited to a Parma Ham workshop at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking

Brooklyn in New York
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Travel is all about exploring, adventure and experiencing something new. When you visit somewhere for the first time, it’s exciting! But it can also take a lot of planning and research to make sure you see everything you want to see, as well as find great restaurants, bars, coffee shops,

Oktoberfest with German Kraft
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This month has been reeeeeaaaaally busy! Hence why I’ve not posted much on my blog at all… oops. Anyway, here are ten things that happened in September that made me happy and that I’m grateful for. We finally sorted out our holiday Last month I had a bit of a

Belem
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I’m definitely putting Lisbon on my ‘favourite cities’ list – I just loved it. It’s so colourful, the architecture is gorgeous, the food was fabulous and the people are so friendly. Travelling to Lisbon? Here’s my guide to help you navigate this fabulous city. Lisbon is built on seven hills

Cala Rossa in Favignana
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My husband is Italian and so we visit Italy several times a year because ‘it’s the best country in the world’ – his words, not mine. According to him, Italy has the best beaches, best food and best wine. The thing is…. the more I visit different towns and cities

Tropea beach from above
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We’ve recently returned from a holiday in Tropea, Calabria and I can’t wait to share with you what a beautiful part of Italy it is. Tropea is a fairly small but bustling seaside town with an impressive coastline. So impressive it’s called the Costa degli Dei or the ‘Coast of the

Gallipoli castle
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Post updated in July 2022 Gallipoli is a small seaside town in Puglia, in the province of Salento, and I highly recommend it for a long weekend break or as part of a wider tour of Puglia. Three days is enough to explore Gallipoli but if you want a longer