Warning: this post contains more than the recommended daily limit of tulip photographs. Read further at your own risk! Tulips are almost synonymous with The Netherlands, and not undeservedly. The Netherlands are the biggest exporter of tulips in the world and account for over 60% of all the world’s bulbs. Tourists flock to the Netherlands … Continue reading The Hague: Seeing the Tulips at Keukenhof Gardens
How glorious is the weather we're getting in London right now?! Last weekend was absolutely beautiful and we were lucky that we had planned a trip to The Hague to visit friends on the hottest weekend of the year so far! It was also my birthday which made it even more special. As you know … Continue reading The Hague: Food & Drink Highlights
People often ask me why I love Japan. Often the things that spring to mind are things I like about Japan - the warmth of the family kotatsu (the best invention - a table with a built-in heater and blanket!), the Japanese meticulous attention to detail, their respect for one another, family, friendship, pride in … Continue reading Japonisme: A New Book by Erin Niimi Longhurst
I'm a big fan of aubergines in all sorts of forms: babaganoush, curries, moussaka, stuffed, grilled. Their distinctive flavour, the way you can get a real smokiness into them when you grill them, the way they pop in your mouth when you have them in a curry and it's like a juicy bomb of flavour … Continue reading Argentinian Pickled Aubergines
I recently received an email from the Japan Centre and noticed for the first time that it had an events section. Since they opened their new Panton Street store, it seems that it’s opened up new opportunities for how they can use their space. I hadn’t actually realised that the old Shaftesbury Avenue site is … Continue reading Pinch Pot Workshop with Noriko Nagaoka
At the end of our trip we had an open ticket to Brussels as part of our Eurostar booking. We decided to do the first leg of our homeward journey early so we could have a quick whistle-stop tour of Belgium’s capital. Manneken Pis, a statue of a small boy urinating into a fountain, where … Continue reading Brussels in a Day
It's only right and proper that I dedicate an entire post to the food and drink we enjoyed in Bruges. With big hitters like chocolate, beer, waffles, and moules, expectations were skyscrapingly high, but these cosy Bruges institutions delivered. BlackbirdAddress: Jan van Eyckplein 7 Website: https://www.blackbird-bruges.com/ This cute cafe in an old building and with … Continue reading Bruges: Where to Eat and Drink
It will come as no surprise that chocolate was pretty high on my agenda when planning our Easter Bruges getaway. After getting our bearings with our walk around the centre, we figured we could explore the town some more while enjoying a bit of chocolate indulgence as we went along! I wanted to share this … Continue reading Bruges: A Self-Guided Chocolate Walking Tour
Only a week ago we were enjoying our Easter break in Bruges. Crowds were thronging the central sights, and quite a few restaurants and shops were closed, as they often are on Sundays. So Easter Sunday felt like a good opportunity to escape into calmer surroundings and take some time to slow down an enjoy … Continue reading Bruges: A Tranquil Easter Sunday
Over the long Easter weekend, Mark and I took ourselves off to Bruges for a short break. Bruges has long been on our bucket list and Easter felt like a perfect time to go and make the most of the bank holiday. On our first day, we headed out for a walk to get our … Continue reading Bruges: A Walk Around the Centre
A Year in Dinners 