Category Archives: Design

Good Stuff

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading

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‘Make My Switzerland’ App Helps You Discover Top Tips from Locals (OneTravel)

“Choose a city, pick your mood, discover top tips from our locals.” That’s what a relatively new Make My Switzerland app offers visitors hoping to achieve maximum Swiss delight – whether aiming for alpine heights, lounging by the lake or … Continue reading

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3D Me Goes to Amsterdam on a Last Call with British Airways

Whoa. Check out this 8″ 3D  print out of me. Apparently while I was trotting around Greece, this lil dude was paying a visit to Amsterdam on my behalf a la BA’s new Last Call  range of last minute flight … Continue reading

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Discovering Athens … #blogtrottersgr

Whether on its own as a cheer and cheerful city break or as a pivotal component to an extended Greek vacation, Athens is wonderful place to discover and one that I’ll be raving about for awhile. Continue reading

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Made in Mayfair Insider Experience with Intercontinental and London Luxury Quarter (OneTravel)

The InterContinental London Park Lane hotel has teamed up with London Luxury Quarter to create custom made “Made in Mayfair Insider Experience” tours. From Britain’s oldest family run perfumery to bespoke shoes that take nine months from order to delivery, … Continue reading

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Good Stuff

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. RHS Chelsea Flower Show Did you … Continue reading

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Handmade in Britain – Appreciating British Craftsmanship (CheapOair)

Opening the doors to the beautiful and historic Chelsea Old Town Hall for three days this May, Handmade in Britain will showcase the best of contemporary fine crafts across a range of disciplines. With innovative design to be on display … Continue reading

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Cookery School Pop-Up Cafe at Handmade in Britain

Just a head’s up to let you know Handmade in Britain’s “Spring Edition” is coming soon to Chelsea Old Town Hall. Of course, the event will be a fantastic showcase of contemporary fine crafts across a range of disciplines. It will … Continue reading

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Richard Wilson’s Slipstream at Heathrow Terminal 2

Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2 – The Queen’s Terminal – isn’t to reopen officially until 4 June when a United Airlines flight from Chicago is scheduled to land at the new building in the early morning. Most striking of its features is Slipstream, a 77 tonne, 78 metre twisted aluminium sculpture by British artist Richard Wilson suspended in the air 18 metres above ground in the entrance court of the terminal. Continue reading

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Wandering Round Walthamstow, Northeast London (OneTravel)

At the northern end of the London Underground’s Victoria Line lies the quaint and quirky Walthamstow. Wedged between the ancient Epping Forest (yeah, a real forest in London), the River Lea and some of East London’s more ‘authentic’ (read edgy) … Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Suckling Pig Paradise, Bairrada

From Aveiro, I drove south to the town of Mealhada for a meal that had me squealing with piggy delight. Mealhada and its region of Bairrada (still within the greater region of Centro) seem to be the suckling pig capital of the world, where the main drag through town is lined with restaurant after restaurant boasting leitão à Bairrada (as suckling pig is called there). For my feast, I paid a visit to one of the most popular and best established eateries, the rather prosaically named Restaurante Típico da Bairrada. Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Charming and Cheeky Aveiro

Know as the “Venice of Portugal,” Aveiro is an attractive little coastal canal-crossed town in the Centro region of Portugal. I spent a couple of days in this part of the country, marvelling at how awesome the region was yet how largely undiscovered by tourists it seemed to be. Pretty, walkable and full of lovely shops, bars and restaurants, Aveiro was a particularly fine place for my introduction to the area. Continue reading

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Portugal Please: Morgadio da Calçada

Situated atop a plateau yielding (yet more) beautiful panoramic views of the Douro River and its undulant valley, the tiny ancient village of Provesende was my final stop in the area. Here I took a quick wander round the village and a proper snoop inside 17th century mansion (with contemporary accommodations) Morgadio da Calçada. Continue reading

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Tops Sights and Sounds Around Muscle Shoals, Alabama (OneTravel)

Nestled along the banks of the Tennessee River, the area of Muscle Shoals in northwest Alabama is a nature lover’s dream. It’s a music lover’s dream too, where a small handful of recording studios have been responsible for some of … Continue reading

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Theatre Review: We are Proud to Present … Namibia, Bush Theatre

We are Proud to Present a Presentation about the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 – 1915 may be an exhaustingly exhaustive title to say (and even type) but it’s an otherwise invigorating piece of work to see performed. Continue reading

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Dixie Detours: Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!

Happy Mardi Gras! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my Dixie Detours miniseries featuring the highlights from my recent trip to Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida along with suggestions for planning your own sojourn to the Deep South. Continue reading

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Infographic: The Shift in TV Technology

Courtesy of Sony You’ve come a long way, Tellie! From your humble black and white cathode ray tube beginnings to the ultra-wow TVs of today, you’ve entertained families across the globe for generations and you’re still the centrepiece in most homes … Continue reading

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Dixie Detours: Sweet Shoals Music

Before our visit to the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama, I never would have imagined the music of Aretha Franklin could resonate even more with me than it already did. Goosebumps on top of goosebumps – how’s that gonna happen? But there I was standing in Studio A of Fame Studios in humble little Florence, Alabama where the mighty diva recorded such classics as Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, and something clicked in a deep and soulful sort of way. In the few days since Kemey and I checked out the Shoals, listening to Aretha’s songs has been coupled with an even deeper and more satisfying feeling than before. Continue reading

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Heathrow’s New Terminal 2 to Open This June (OneTravel)

After 54 years of service, Heathrow’s Terminal 2 closed in 2009. But come this June, a newly named “Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal” is set to reopen. Despite being built in the center of one of the world’s busiest airports, … Continue reading

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Super Yacht Me

So, I left my one bedroom flat in East London (Zone 2) early on a ho-hum Tuesday morning to hop the bus en route to the exclusive five star May Fair Hotel just off the Piccadilly to attend Superyachts.com’s Top 100, an event for mega yacht execs and brand reps to rub elbows and gab about the future of their industry. Featuring a full day of press workshops with “the visionary builders and designers behind the largest super yachts in the world”, Top 100 had been set up for journos to crash “intimate sessions with the heads of the super yacht industry, gain an in-depth insight into the largest luxury yachts set to launch in 2014 and discuss the most vital topics surrounding the world’s most incredible yachts”. Continue reading

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illy Regent Street

I don’t know about you and your line of work but as for me and mine, I run around all over town all day long. Often I find I’ve got time to kill between meetings and events. Sometimes it’s just 20 minutes, other times it might be a couple of hours. And just because I have time to kill doesn’t mean I have time to dawdle. I need to get in somewhere fast and park it during such spare moments – where I can tackle my inbox, draft my next blog post, maybe grab a bite to eat and (most importantly) have a cup of coffee. With the recently opened illy Regent Street, being able to do all this stuff in a seriously stylish and comfortable setting just became a real option for me. Continue reading

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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Arrivederci and Grazie Mille!

Over the past several days I’ve been sharing highlights from my recent Ham Highway adventure across northern Italy in a special 14-part miniseries. The series features entries about the following destinations – Forni di Sopra, Sauris, San Daniele, Udine, Collio Goriziano, Trento, Torino, Parma, Modena, Nonantola, and Bologna – along with tips and suggestions to help you plan your own delectable Italian itinerary. Continue reading

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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: a-MuSe-ing and Bubbly Trento

After an all too short sojourn in Friuli (God, I hope I make it back there before too long), I hit the autostrada heading west to the region of Trentino for an overnight stay to see what sort of wonders its scenic city of Trento had to offer. With a newly opened museum designed by a star architect; a distinctive sparkling wine with a rich tradition behind it; and an exquisite regional gastronomy that’s big on flavour, locally sourced ingredients and seasonality – the answer I soon discovered was A LOT! Continue reading

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Theatre Review: Richard III at Nottingham Playhouse

With only a week left in Nottingham before it moves on to York, here’s my review of the Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and York Theatre Royal’s joint presentation of Shakespeare’s tragic story of a conniving and paranoid king, Richard III. Continue reading

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Visit James Bond’s England (CheapOair)

Bond. James … yeah, you know the next bit. One of Britain’s greatest pop icons – the one and only 007 – is wowing film fans visiting the UK at these attractions celebrating the world’s most famous spy and the works of writer Ian Fleming. Continue reading

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Jason Atherton’s Berners Tavern at The London Edition

Exquisite flavours in a lavish setting – Jason Atherton’s Berners Tavern at The London Edition Hotel is designed to dazzle. Continue reading

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Golden Lane Estate and Me: Documentary Screening at Exhibit Gallery, EC1

As I told filmmaker Esther Johnson, the year I lived at Golden Lane Estate was “very potent”. That she happened to come round the estate looking for residents to interview for her film, The View From My Window Tells Me I’m Home, just seemed like a fantastic coincidence to have someone there to document it for me. Continue reading

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Popular London Restaurant Teams up with A-List Celebrities to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospital (OneTravel)

A baker’s dozen including some of Britain’s biggest celebrities have teamed up with London restaurant, Daphne’s in South Kensington, to give their own unique interpretation of a pen and ink sketch to help raise vital funds for a worthy cause, the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Continue reading

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Daphne’s Restaurant Teams up with A-List Celebrities to Raise Funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

A host of the UK’s best loved celebrities has teamed up with Daphne’s restaurant to give their own unique interpretation of a pen and ink sketch to raise vital funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Continue reading

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Win a Modern Design Measuring Cup Set and Spoon

I’ve got a Cuppa set of measuring cups and a Dash 4-in-1 measuring spoon to give to one lucky reader. Both are BPA free silicone, very attractive and dishwasher free and are excellent examples of the practical and modern designs available from Umbra.com. Continue reading

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Win a VW Classic Campervan with @FatFace #WinJim

Authentic British clothing and accessories brand Fat Face is celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer by giving fans the chance to win Jim, a bespoke Fat Face Volkswagen campervan, worth £35,000. Continue reading

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The Top 5 Sights in Milan (CheapOair)

It’s difficult to think of a more fashionable destination than Milan. It’s also a fantastic place to delve into Italy’s rich history and culture. Here’s a quick look at five of the city’s must-see attractions that will have you envying the luck of the Milanese … Continue reading

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Sneak Peek at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013

It’s time again for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. Got tix? Here’s a sneak peek from the VIP and press day of what you can expect. Continue reading

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Good Stuff and Grand Designs

Here’s a quick little list of good stuff I’ve recently come across and thought was worth sharing with you. Enjoy! Continue reading

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Imli Street: Renamed, Revamped and Reopened

Soho Indian restaurant, Imli, goes “street” to keep up with the competition. Is it any better than before and worth actually coming in off the street for a taste of the new menu? Continue reading

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