Miami. The American Riviera with its pastel palaces, its swaying palms and Art Deco curves is one of my favourite haunts when I need a break from the slate-coloured skies at home. Eye-popping art and sleek design sit in every corner and crevice of this sorbet-coloured city, so it’s surprising to those who know me…
A Tale of Two Cities
You probably know by now that I am too many nationalities to list and that I was “Born in Paris and Made in London.” I am a true Londoner now, a multi-cultural, multi-national mish-mash, and this city truly is where I belong. I’ve been a Londoner since 1988 (with a leave of absence in the…
Rene Lalique – The Glass Wizard
Think Lalique, and you think glass, non? But there’s so much more to this French design giant, dubbed the “creator of modern jewellery.” And following a whirlwind trip to the Lalique factory and museum in Alsace, the legendary Villa René Lalique with its two Michelin-star restaurant, and an overnight stay and lunch in the hotel…
Serenade for a Steinway | A tour of the Steinway Pianos Factory in Hamburg
My visit to Steinway pianos factory in Hamburg was a trip down black and white nostalgia lane. The first piece I ever penned for my creative writing degree was a portrait of my piano teacher, Sharko Hilbert. I chose her as my subject matter because I was still rooted in those Wednesday afternoons I spent…
My top once in a lifetime experiences
This month’s travel link up is all about those once in a lifetime experiences. My intrepid exploration list includes navigating the underbelly of Paris, watching Pink Floyd in the world’s most beautiful palace, listening to the thunderous roar of waterfalls, having lunch in the Côte d’Azur rain (twice) and treading the boards of La Scala…
Castletownshend and Skibbereen: An Irish Love Story
My little nook of Irish paradise is in Castletownshend, West Cork, an hour and a half west of Cork airport and close to the picturesque market town of Skibbereen. It’s a tiny fishing village and it’s been my holiday home for the last 28 years. There are two things of which you can be certain…
This Shore is More
Mykonos may be alluring, Ibiza tantalizing, and St Tropez may have the ultimate swagger, but the Algarve in Portugal is my port of call for dreamy, charming and authentic. And the light: at sunrise, it’s luminescent with shades of cotton candy and bluebells; at sunset, it dissolves listlessly into a canvas of tangerine and ink….
An Amalfian Love Story
My Italian memory starts with a train journey from Sorrento to Pompeii at the age of eight. It was a packed and rickety train, winding its agitated way from Sorrento, as hot as a Neoplitan pizza oven. A short, stout and rather ancient-looking Italian man decided to pinch my mother, Shelley, on her jean-clad posterior….