March 6, 2025 In Uncategorized

Paris

Paris is the best city on earth, a masterclass in high and low culture. This was my 15th visit, and I love it more each time. Visited to spend time with friends and feel so invigorated and alive as the weather was perfect and the streets were alive with the smell of spring flowers and salty butter! This is a grown up city with elegance and grit in equal measures. The food! The fashion! The finesse! Oh Paris ❤️🥰

 

Enjoyed some of the best fine dining in the city – 1 Michelin Star Pavyllon by Yannick Alleno, 2 Michelin Star Guy Savoy, and 3 Michelin Star Le Gabriel at La Reserve. Some of these tables are very difficult to secure, it was a very special experience. No time for shopping (boohoo) or cultural pursuits, the 2.5 days went in a whirlwind of tasting menus, bistros, private events and grower Champagnes. I have so much love for Paris, it is always a pleasure.

February 24, 2025 In Uncategorized

What’s Cooking?

How about my spicy paprika chicken with roasted veg and saffron potatoes? Cooked slowly until a gravy forms and finished with onions I pickled in sherry vinegar. As you know quality is important to me, I try to get my chicken from the butchers or Selfridges (it makes all the difference), and I simmered the potatoes in saffron that my friend bought me from Kuwait. My inspiration for this recipe was the flavours of the middle east (although many of these ingredients are also found in Andalusian cooking). My marinade consisted of some 20 ingredients, including 4 different paprikas for the perfect balance of smoky, sweet, and hot. Like all my cooking, this is my own recipe that I created whilst strolling through the butchers and grocers. Whilst I can do far more impressive things, I usually default to “home style” cooking – sharing dishes with lots of flavour. It came out a treat, enjoyed with a glass of Rioja.

February 24, 2025 In Uncategorized

Why is everything I like expensive?

Ever since I was a child, even though my family was poor, I somehow developed a taste for the finer things. What a nightmare for my mother, my siblings were satisfied with margarine, but not me, I wanted Organic French salty butter. Well, I was walking home, passing through Knightsbridge (I don’t walk home very often as London isn’t safe at night anymore, but I had a great dinner and wanted to walk some of the crème brulée off), I headed, down Sloane Street and luckily the shops were shut as I saw so many beautiful things. Oh how I love fashion! 

February 2, 2025 In Uncategorized

Sunday Thoughts…

💭💭💭 It baffles me how some people with means to have the most amazing experiences sit on their hands and don’t do it. Working hard to be comfortable yet deny yourself the simple pleasure of companionship in the one life you have. Really not cool! Time to do better for yourself! 😘

February 2, 2025 In Uncategorized

My London – This week.

The famous cheese and ham pie and glass of Cremant at one of my favourite wine bars, hidden underground in Leicester Square – The Cork and Bottle. 

So obsessed with this restaurant, Lita in my neighbourhood. Was so surprised to see this Champagne on the menu it’s by one of the best small growers.

Some fine dining to end the week – Second visit to Akoko, a west African Michelin Star restaurant. Loved the mix of spicing and luxury ingredients.

January 15, 2025 In Uncategorized

It’s the season

For a 4 hour Boeuf Bourguignon with home made garlic breads.

I only cook in Le Creuset; it makes the food taste better. This was my first time making Boeuf Bourguignon and it came out even better than I expected. I used chuck steak as it’s great for braising (short rib works too). The garlic breads aren’t traditional but they worked very well with the sauce. These rustic recipes are perfect for the winter season.
December 31, 2024 In Uncategorized

I definitely need a barn

It may surprise you to know that this City girl has big dreams of country living one day. I love barn conversions most of all (there are very few barns left because people got all the good ones and renovated them already 10-15 years ago) particularly those with triple height ceilings, exposed beams, and stylish interiors. So… (no pressure but) if you’re thinking of getting me a gift in 2025 then please do consider a 15th century Barn conversion (will accept 16th century if it includes stables and enough land for a small-ish farm).

 

Dream Barn life:

Barn Essentials:

Selection of Barn-Friendly outfits:

Some things we can do in the barn:

December 29, 2024 In Uncategorized

Where to Next?

Throwing out some places I haven’t visited but would like to next year:

 

Turkey

Sweden

Maldives

Ibiza

Singapore

Croatia

Australia

Japan

Bordeaux
Argentina

Prague
Athens

Crete

The Highlands

Seychelles

Montreal

Bali

Oman

Sardinia

Atlas Mountains

Porto

Dolomites

St Moritz

Kenya

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December 20, 2024 In Uncategorized

Cars etc

Electric cars are here to stay, whether we’d like them or not. Personally, I have nothing against them, other than so few are on the market that there isn’t yet the opportunity to truly express yourself through what car you choose. I think in the UK at least, cars have somehow managed to become part of the identity of many people, so I can understand resistance to having (more or or less 10 “serious options” to pick from). Yes I know, first world problems and all – but still, here are some light hearted thoughts on a few electric cars. 

Jaguar Type 00 (they should have called it the Jaguar LGBT Type)

Recently I was at a Christmas party, where the topic of this new Jaguar came up. Somebody said that car manufacturers should stick to what they know best, and stay out of linking cars to identity. I decided to interject, as it’s simply not true. Cars have always aimed themselves at specific audiences. Most car brands insinuate that if you’re a certain type of man, this is the car you will drive. And so I think the problem with this car was not tying it to identity, or the design (which personally I really like – the shape is an almost identical copy of the Rolls Royce Wraith. The colour is a distraction also, as you wouldn’t have to order it in pink). The problem is very simple: The audience they’re aiming this car at doesn’t drive and doesn’t spend on luxury cars and even if they did, it’s not a big enough demographic to carry an entire car brand. Although this car is only at concept stage, I would love to see it built. Certainly it’s something interesting, and I do love big cars. 

Mercedes EQS

You get these new electric Mercedes sometimes on Uber. I am a fully paid up member of the Mercedes fan club, I am such a fan of the brand and everything they do. The SL for me is one of the best cars ever made, Mercedes is one of those manufacturers that has something for everyone, so it pains me to say: This is a very disappointing car (sorry if you have one, it’s never to late to do the right thing and send it back; I’ll help you pick a better one). One of the main issues is that Mercedes always deliver when it comes to aesthetic, cool cars. This is no such specimen. The front is boring (when it comes to cars, boring is far worse than ugly), the back is even worse and inside does not have anything near the same premium feel as the petrol SL. Send it to the gallows.

BMW i7

In contrast, I never had anything good to say about BMW. But this new electric i7 car is really really nice. First of all, it doesn’t look like an electric car. Electric cars are like “non alcoholic cocktails” – if you’re really have to make that compromise, ideally you don’t want anyone to know. So I think BMW did a great job in making this car undetectable as an electric. For some reason, a lot of manufacturers don’t put a grill on the front of their electric models, and the result is a less attractive front of the car. If you compare this BMW to the Mercedes above, the front of the BMW still looks like a car, whereas the front of the Mercedes is shaped like a sex toy (DISCLAIMER: I have nothing against big expensive sex toys: in fact, I occasionally identify as one). Also, it is by far one of the nicest cars inside – it is so plush back there. Much (muuuch) nicer than the Mercedes equivalent. I don’t know much about how important this car is for BMW, but I would imagine this is going to sell very well. Big fan of this one.

December 8, 2024 In Uncategorized

I asked AI

Two revealing questions, and this is what it said. Grok is a great innovation, and seems to be one of the better and more impartial AI platforms, sooo… here’s what Grok thinks about me!