THE BABYMOON – TRIED AND TESTED

THE BABYMOON – TRIED AND TESTED

The babymoon – it’s fair to say we took a few… Not just the “last jam before the pram” before the arrival, but at regular intervals through 9 months of growing the baby. Our choices were around Baby P and to be sure I got the relaxing and de-stressing breaks I needed to…

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CHARMING COTSWOLDS STAY AT THE LYGON ARMS

CHARMING COTSWOLDS STAY AT THE LYGON ARMS

We’ve been lucky enough to stay at the Chewton Glen and Cliveden House a number of times. There are few teams and hotels that know hospitality better. I have for a long time been wary of what’s on offer hotel-wise in the Cotswolds as much of it looks a bit like Little London.…

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P&P RECOMMENDED: LONDON HOTEL DIRECTORY

P&P RECOMMENDED: LONDON HOTEL DIRECTORY

If we stay in London then it’s normally got something to do with work. Or to break up the commuting week. As stays are mainly for work they err on the practical and functional side of things. Sometimes though, we make a London date night of it and have been working our way around…

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AN INTIMATE SUPPER AT EVELYN’S TABLE

AN INTIMATE SUPPER AT EVELYN’S TABLE

When you find a food style you enjoy… Stick to it. We were taken to Machneyuda when we were in Jerusalem. And to our delight, there’s a growing list of restaurants in London run by the same group. I’m pleased to say we have now enjoyed them all. Each slightly different, but all…

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RELAXED WEEKENDING AT TIMBRELL’S YARD

RELAXED WEEKENDING AT TIMBRELL’S YARD

We booked our stay at Timbrell’s Yard after I made a shock discovery… Mr P was away for over half of February with work and he also had a ski holiday and weekend in Cape Town squeezed in. In a very first world way, with no trips planned, I was feeling hard done…

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A QUIET WEEKEND IN CORNWALL TO REMEMBER

A QUIET WEEKEND IN CORNWALL TO REMEMBER

Sometimes all anyone needs is a weekend away, in Cornwall. Away from the chores, the need to do a food shop, catch up on work or (heaven forbid) do anything strenuous. A weekend away in a nice place that isn’t home. No 3G, no TV, just some fresh air and sea views. Time…

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THE MAGICAL NORTH COAST OF CORNWALL

THE MAGICAL NORTH COAST OF CORNWALL

The north coast of Cornwall is magical. Especially the bits that few visitors find! Ask many where to go on the north coast of Cornwall and you’d oft hear Padstow, Rock, ‘The Scarlet’, Bude top of the list… Charming yes, But there is so much more. And it’s truly Cornish… Let me share…

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Winchester Dining: Club Epicure

Winchester Dining: Club Epicure

The concept of a supper club is entirely new to me. As (let’s be honest these days) is going out on a work night! So it was quite the occasion last week when we trundled off to a private home in Winchester for our very first supper club. Let me introduce Club Epicure,…

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Cornish walks: Porthgwarra to Nanjizal

Cornish walks: Porthgwarra to Nanjizal

The coastline of Cornwall is a complete set of footpaths. So there is no shortage of stunning walks. Each time we visit Cornwall we find a new one – normally one that has been mentioned years ago by my Grandpa or parents. This time, with a windy north-easterly wind forecast, we headed for the south…

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A treehouse retreat: elegance and luxury at the Chewton Glen

A treehouse retreat: elegance and luxury at the Chewton Glen

“It’s definitely a treehouse” Mr P squeaked at me last Friday! Since the opening in 2012, I have been lusting after a stay. The Chewton Glen has long been our favourite place to squirrel away near home for some quality RnR. But we have never stayed in the trees. Until now! I didn’t…

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Life’s little luxuries: taking a simple timeout

Life’s little luxuries: taking a simple timeout

In the search for the perfect hotel, winter sunshine and glamorous flights it is easy to forget about life’s little luxuries. The things that actually matter. How lucky are we to have what we have? And to already live a life we love. We don’t need to scour the globe for a paradise, there’s…

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10 things: to eat in London

10 things: to eat in London

My travel style is discreet and homely. It follows that my food taste would be similar. Working in London, on and off for ten years and more solidly over the last theee, has been a fun foodie discovery. There is such a choice and something for all tastes. Hidden amongst the big brand…

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Spring walk: the Purbeck coast

Spring walk: the Purbeck coast

It had been far too long since my last visit to the Purbeck coast in Dorset! Perhaps 1996-ish for my Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s award… Which was also the time I route-planned us along an electricity pylon rather than a bridleway! The Easter weekend gave us the chance to go and explore and we…

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Spring walk: South Downs lambs and bluebells

Spring walk: South Downs lambs and bluebells

A little spring walk in the South Downs turned into the sort of walk that would leave a bluebell-hunter or cute animal lover very fulfilled! I am neither, but I was ‘full of the joys’… We stumbled across this walk thanks to two things. Firstly we had lunch booked with friends at The Bluebell…

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A magical return to Cliveden House

A magical return to Cliveden House

Given the opportunity, I would live at Cliveden every weekend! It’s captivating.   And it is easily understood why Cliveden is repeatedly in the chocolates at luxury award ceremonies… There aren’t many places which have been restored so attentively and can offer guests the chance to stay in such a historical and grand location,…

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The Kitchen at the Chewton Glen

The Kitchen at the Chewton Glen

Visits to the Chewton Glen are always a resounding success.  Being invited to dine at ‘The Kitchen’ on its opening night was definitely that.  The Kitchen is a new adventure for the Chewton Glen.  An exciting and informal one. We loved the hotel as it was – the quintessentially english luxuriousness.  It’s somewhere we love to celebrate…

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Chewton Glen – a luxury weekend escape

Chewton Glen – a luxury weekend escape

This fabulous hotel is where my love affair with luxury began.  So we return to visit the Chewton Glen like an old friend on special occasions!  In February, in between our birthday’s, we scheduled a staycation as a little treat.  We really couldn’t have planned the timing better around all things work and life…

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A weekend in the Cotswolds

A weekend in the Cotswolds

Last year between May in Tel Aviv and India in December, we didn’t really take much time off work. We did manage to balance the work mania with the odd long weekend in France, Stockholm and Italy.  In November we fitted in another of these. This time a weekend staycation in the Cotswolds…

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My Cornwall Directory

My Cornwall Directory

I’ve been visiting west Cornwall a few times a year for longer than I remember.  My Gran lives there and we head down for long weekends with my parents or by ourselves to explore a little more.  Cornwall seems to be growing in popularity and it seemed like a very good time to…

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My top 10 travel highlights of 2016

My top 10 travel highlights of 2016

What a year 2016 has been globally.  My top 10 highlights may well sound frivolous and privileged in a year when the world has been full of sadness, unrest and nasty surprises.  But they made us smile, laugh and relax after some challenging years. Its been good for the soul.  I’m amazed we fitted in 6…

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Inns and cottages for a perfect staycation

Inns and cottages for a perfect staycation

One thing I adore about the UK is the plethora of great little inns and cottages on offer. If you want to get off the beaten track and find something a little different when it comes to luxury you’ll find it.  The luxury of privacy, space and charming hosts.  Here are a few…

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Kota Porthleven – tasty artistry

Kota Porthleven – tasty artistry

When one finds a restaurant that impresses, it is always risky to go back – will it be as good?  Riskier still to take ones parents for a special treat.  So we arrived with crossed fingers whether it would be as good as remembered.  Well – Kota delivered and gets a gold star, it was…

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Tickled tastebuds at The Palomar

Tickled tastebuds at The Palomar

The Palomar really did tickle our tastebuds!  If you have been under a rock or hibernating recently you won’t have noticed that we went to Israel in May and loved it – the place, the culture, the people and the food… For everyone else, you know already!  Imagine our delight when we ate…

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Feels like home

Feels like home

Home is where my heart is – I love my home (although I’m desperately seeking a double-fronted like below), I love my friends and tribe, I love life and the privileges it affords me and I love my little piece of England, I even love my job.  Home is all of that to…

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Gormley at Winchester Cathedral

Gormley at Winchester Cathedral

Over Easter we took in a bit of culture.  Years back the Gormley human sculptures were lurking on rooftops across London and I loved them (after the initial panic when they first arrived that there were ‘jumpers’ all over London), in fact there is still one right outside our office!  When I heard…

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