My first Christmases were more Hee Haw than Ho Ho. I spent them in Paris where decorations were subtle, yuletide food was sophisticated and gifting was about quality not quantity. But not chez Roitman, neigh: my…
A London Blog with a Taste for Culture and History |
Painting the Town this December
Jack Frost may be on his way to London, but there’s plenty to keep you merry and full of cheer. Here’s my guide to a jolly Ho Ho Ho December. Jingle my Bells For the Best…
How to be a Dandy in London
The British Dandy is still alive and well, and if you look closely, you’ll see them dotted all around London, especially during the Summer Season. A male friend of mine took me on a “man about…
THEATRE REVIEW: Sideshow & Amadeus
Sideshow at the Southwark Playhouse The Southwark Playhouse is the go-to venue when I am looking for quirky and slightly off-beat productions. Last year it played host to the wonderfully eclectic Grey Gardens, starring Sheila Hancock,…
The Difference between the French and the British
They say you are the nationality that you dream in. My dreams have always been a mélange of Franglais, but I have to admit that the English has been taking centre stage of late. I don’t…
Falling in Autumn
As Summer prepares to retire and the long days start to wane, it’s time to banish the summer’s end blues and prepare for my favourite time of year. Russet-coloured river walks, pumpkin pie, cosy, crackling fires…
The Algarve: 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…
London for the Little Darlings
Oh dear, it’s the summer holidays which means one thing: M and M, or Madness and Mayhem. Your little ones are catapulted from the school classroom back into your living space for a full six weeks of…
A Life in Movies
I wasn’t born with a silver spoon but rather into the silver screen and into a life in movies. Darryl F. Zanuck, the flamboyant 20th Century Fox movie mogul, was barking on the phone to my…
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…