Messing about on boats is one of those innate New Zealand pastimes that come with the territory of a Kiwi upbringing. (Ironically, this upbringing included many a warning that one should never actually “mess about” on a boat. ‘Have fun in the water but do what you oughta’, right kids?) Growing up, my dad would take my brothers […]
london
Ten Years a Londoner
On 29 April 2005, when I was 22, I landed in London. Fresh off the boat from New Zealand I had little more than a secondhand backpack, a new A-Z and a couple of hundred quid in the bank. Not even enough for a deposit on a room (I think a part of me was driven by […]
Dram & Smoke
My grandmother was born just outside of Edinburgh. But she was only four when her family packed up and shipped out to New Zealand, leaving little trace of Scotland in my upbringing. And yet, I’ve turned out with a thirst for whisky, haggis, shortbread and rugged wilderness. I may be without a clan, but it […]
Wapping Market
This is an SOS. A new food market has opened up in Wapping. This is within bleary-eyed-strolling-distance of my ‘hood, meaning every Sunday since it began I’ve been able to turn up for a Crosstown doughnut. It’s bloody dangerous. I mean, it’s only been going three weeks, but I’ll be there again tomorrow, and so […]
Columbia Road Flower Market
“Tuuuuulips! Only a fiver! Three for a tenner!” If you ever fancy a cut-price bouquet or simply want to stop and smell the roses, East London’s Columbia Road is the place to go. Worth going even just for a rummage through the adjacent vintage and craft shops, and to take in the cheeky banter and sing-song patter […]
Rabot 1745
London’s first “urban cacao restaurant” launched this week, the latest venture by the founders of Hotel Chocolat, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris. Named for their 140-acre cocoa estate in Saint Lucia, Rabot 1745 is tucked away on the shoulder of Borough Market (just across the street from “Bridget Jones’ flat”, if you’re partial to a bit […]
Creating a Bespoke Perfume at Floris
My all-time favourite perfume is Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. I coveted it for years, and eventually, in the days of being broke and freelance, I spent the paycheck from my first published article on a bottle of it. Even now I wear it every day because I love the way it smells and the way it […]
Foraging With Robin Harford
I had just eaten a leaf I’d plucked from somebody’s grave, when I wondered if in fact this was the worst possible way to spend a hangover. Where was my huevos rancheros? My cup of tea? But these thoughts were fleeting; I was too busy having my mind readjusted. I had come to forage – […]