EXPLORING MY ADOPTED CITY AND BEYOND
I remember as a child I used to wait with desperate anticipation outside the local bakery after school, in hope that today was the day the bakers chose to make their delicious apricot pies. I was hooked. That sweet buttery pastry with its tangy sticky filling was pure delight, and what seemed an eternity to… Continue reading
When pondering the perfectly precise way to describe London, the amazing metropolis that I now call home, I so often draw comparisons between this vivacious city and a vibrant, bustling farmer’s market. Both are a compilation of independent and unique offerings. London encompasses fascinating cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, all with their own inimitable architectural details, rich cultural… Continue reading
The English, much like the Australians, love a good old game of sport. They love to play sport, they love to watch sport, and most importantly, they love to talk about sport. Crowds of cotton clad Brits, dazzling in their crisp white shorts, relish the mild English summers, allowing them to sit outside in neat,… Continue reading
Although the affluent residential town of Richmond is situated a mere 10 miles from central London, it once was rural agricultural countryside consisting of large houses and hunting lodges of the extremely wealthy. One such estate, a 17th century treasure trove, lies nestled among the naturalistic landscape along the banks of the river Thames. Tucked… Continue reading
What must Florence have been like during the city’s Age of Enlightenment. Brunelleschi was constructing his ground-breaking dome that would soon perch high above the city’s red brick skyline, presiding over the people with steadfast assurance and monumental beauty. How must it have felt to wander through the rabbit warren of brooding Medieval alleyways, to… Continue reading
“I was offered a free villa in Hollywood, but I said no thank you, I prefer to live in Italy.” – Ennio Morricone Travel is a privilege that gives us the opportunity to observe, and hopefully learn from, cultures and customs that are not our own; especially when it comes to food traditions. Some places… Continue reading
Cornwall may well be firmly attached to mainland England, but this spectacular county on the rugged southwestern tip has its own blend of unique charm and beauty that perfectly separates it from the rest of the country. Cornwall’s reach extends considerably into the Celtic Sea, forming a jagged peninsula culminating at the promontory of Land’s… Continue reading
“The heavy golden sunshine enriched the old brick with a kind of patina, and made the tower cast a long shadow across the grass, like the finger of a gigantic sundial veering slowly with the sun. Everything was hushed and drowsy and silent but for the coo of the white pigeons.” – Vita Sackville-West There… Continue reading
An awful lot of people have childhood memories of holidays in Cornwall, and the holidays are old-fashioned and hugely successful. You stick a child and a dog on one of the beaches, and they just light up: they just love it. ― Martin Clunes, Actor Cornwall has been high on my list of places to… Continue reading
With spring well under way here in England the variety of wonderful things to see and do seems almost infinite. Grand old homes with their well tendered, enveloping gardens fling open their gates to allow curious visitors the chance to witness these properties at their most glorious. Many of the country’s historic manor houses sit… Continue reading