I haven’t chatted all things expat in awhile, but speaking with friends recently the topic of how to deal with homesickness as an expat has come up a fair amount recently. (Between swapping book and TV/movie recommendations obviously.) It’s going to be a long time before a lot of us get to visit home, so it’s no surprise that it’s something on our minds. Living permanently in another country as an expat, it is so… View Post
It’s grey, cold and we’re in the middle of a pandemic. It’s so lovely being able to order a treat from some of my favourite London restaurants and cafes still running in Lockdown 2.0. (Disclaimer: I’ve been a previous guest of some of these – but I’ve also been a paying customer.) As well as supporting our very local restaurants and small businesses. *cough* Vada Pav with Szechuan Cheese *cough*
It’s only the first day, but this second lockdown in the UK feels so different. I guess because we’ve been through one already in some ways, we’ve got some idea of what to expect.
My Dearest London, I feel like I’ve said why I live in London a hundred different times and in a hundred different ways. After all this time I utterly adore you. Even when you drive me crazy. It’s all your fault that I’ve felt compelled to write this London love letter. After exclaiming at my British accent (for some reason I seem to be at pains to tell people I am of antipodean origin) people… View Post
I love porridge. Quick, hot and filling, it’s perfect for winter mornings, especially those spent trekking through the snow. We have dessert porridge recipes that we keep in heavy rotation each winter, stepping our winter breakfasts up a notch. Because let’s be honest, porridge (or oatmeal if you’re speaking American) can be a little beige on it’s own – lacking interest and at times tasting of wallpaper paste. You can add brown sugar, berry coulis or… View Post
Because this is a safe, honest corner of the internet, I’m going to level with you. I didn’t quite realise just how special The Belfry Hotel and Resort was until my husband and brother-in-law found out where we were going for a girls weekend. [Disclosure: we were guests of the Belfry but all argyle diamond knitwear clad enthusings are very much my own.] The Belfry is an award-winning hotel and resort with a modern spa… View Post
It’s so hard to convey how much you enjoyed a city, and marry that up with keywords like ‘what to do in Bilbao’ so that Google actually presents your post to people who are looking for exactly that. So one types convoluted sentences like the above, and then delves back into the images to wander down memory lane… It’s not an action packed city with hundreds of typical touristy things to do, but one where… View Post
The incredible Pink Afternoon Tea at Ting in the Shangri-La London has been inspired by the journeys of four incredible women, Gina, Maggie, Mandy and Michele, who received breast cancer treatment at Guy’s Cancer. [Disclosure: we were guests of the Shangri-La London hotel but all enthusings are very much my own.] I wanted to begin the review with their stories – this wonderful afternoon tea is as delicious and luxurious as befits a Shangri-La creation – but as someone… View Post
It was a grey old day in London, one of those ones where the leeching rain gets under your collar and into your bones – but actually, we didn’t care. Splashing through the pavement puddles, we were bound for a luxury boutique hotel in East London – the Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green. I have to come clean – I’d forgotten that I had booked this Friday night stay in – I’d booked it… View Post
There is nothing sweeter than a leisurely weekday lunch – it’s one of the joys of running my own business. It’s even more delicious on a Monday with friends – a state of enjoyment which led neatly to this Frog by Adam Handling restaurant review. Before I begin, just let me utter the words Chicken Butter. Mmmmmmm. This wasn’t our first visit to the Frog, but the first that I wasn’t so distracted by the… View Post
This quick slowcooker pumpkin soup recipe warms you from your toes, to the top of your head. Homey and soft, it’s one of my absoloute favourite things to cook in autumn & winter. Oh, and it’s the perfect way to use up those Halloween pumpkin innards. It’s healthy too – you don’t need to add any cream or cheese – though it is scumptious if you to want to take a walk on the wild… View Post
Autumn. It’s considered ‘basic’ now to adore the season of rust coloured leaves, snuggling into warm scarves and sipping lattes – but I’ve always loved it. Something I love even more (if that’s possible) is exploring London houses and gardens in Autumn – it is beautiful, calm and cool. So, I thought I’d put together a list of my favourite houses with gardens where the leaves turn vibrant shades of orange and red (oh, and… View Post
When it came to deciding where to stay in Bilbao during our long weekend exploring the city (and the extensive art collection of the Guggenheim Museum) whilst there was a surprising amount of choice, when I spotted the Vincci Consulado de Bilbao I knew instantly that it was the hotel for us. The Mr loves a modern, plush boutique hotel, and that’s exactly what we got.
The Peter Pan Afternoon Tea at Aqua Shard – in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital – has more than just a pinch of fairy dust – it’s straight up magic. [Disclosure: I was a guest of Aqua Shard but all fae references, play sword fights (with silver teaspoons obvs) and repeat visits are very much my own.] “Their chief food was roasted bread-fruit, yams, coconuts, baked pig, mam- mee-apples, tappa rolls and bananas, washed down… View Post
Our last trip before the world changed so drastically was a long weekend in Spain – a leisurely one at that. The focus was the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a modernist work of art – and that’s the just the building, even without considering the treasures that the sinous walls contain. On my bookshelves, there’s a very well thumbed book with a grey cover that inspired much of my initial travels.
It probably sounds a bit random that we love a London staycation, but actually it’s many of the best things about travelling without the frustrating downsides. It was the Mr’s turn to pick, and as he fancied a modern stay, we picked the Sea Containers Hotel on the Southbank. I’ve popped in a few times for cocktails with friends (at this Mr Kiwi rolled his eyes ‘of course you’ve been here before’) but it was… View Post
I’m simply going to start this review with Mr Kiwi’s response when I told him we were going to Brilliant “Brilliant Resaurant? HELL YES – it’s meant to be one of the best in the country!” Disclosure: We were invited guests to Brilliant Restaurant – but all thoughts are mine. He doesn’t tend to get as overtly excited about things as much as I do, so this set my expectation bar super high. Then I… View Post
Over the three plus months of being stuck at home during the Covid-19 lockdown, for the most part we actually we settled into a fairly nice routine of working and relaxing. Thinking back, there were at least 10 things I achieved during the Covid-19 lockdown period. Mr Kiwi even set up a reoccuring Friday night pub chat via Skype (which gave me a chance to do the same, or indulge in some terrible TV.)
For the longest of time I’ve been meaning to have dinner at Tredwells – it’s been languishing for too long at the top of my London restaurant ‘to try’ list (which is as long as the Thames – but more neatly sectioned than the relative hodge podge of London bridge placement.) Sorry, that was quite a laboured metaphor. Back to dinner. The Work Wife and I were both celebrating 3 successful years of self employment,… View Post
Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible experiences and stay in some breathtaking places. This collection of 11 dream hotels around the world are all special for so many reasons; from ancient castles to modern skyscrapers with infinity pools overlooking city horizons. (Tap the linked title to read more about each individual stay.) CASTLE HUNTING: GLOUCESTERSHIRE PRINCESSES FOR THE NIGHT | UK Once upon a time, two Kiwi girls voyaged across… View Post
