Interiors

It was a dark and stormy night. It actually was and on a Friday night our closest friends got together for an apero. It was a mixture of cultures and food. New York style peach martinis followed by French white wine. Coronation quiche served with French cheeses and homemade soda bread alongside a cricket bat board of mixed spices, dried quinces, English water crackers and red pepper hummus. Finally, blueberry cake with crème anglaise was happily eaten and we all went home warmed by good conversation, food and humour. What more could we want? As the CEO of the

We will look back at this last week in the future and wonder, how, what and why? No words can be said and we can do is be positive and supportive of each other.

Lemon, that fresh, bright springy colour is appearing in the stores. It immediately makes me think of warmth, spring, freshness and a general uplifting sense of coming out of winter. Some love the cold and hibernation of winter but not me! I need a blue sky even if it is cold and with the sun shining, my equilibrium immediately lifts by at least 50%. As the last grey days of winter hit this week, the mimosa blossom is emerging and the bright yellow pollen is a sign that we are coming out of the dark. A town in our

Currently, many friends are moving in to a new stage of their lives. Some have lost careers and are pondering the next steps and finances and their sense of identity. Others are reinventing themselves due to divorces and sadly, loss of loved ones. We are on the threshold of moving back to our home country and yet after twenty years, it feels like another adventure and life. When I look back over the last decades of moving to different cities and countries, usually we moved without knowing anyone and often struggled with another language and different bureaucracies. It feels

On the 29th of January we will enter the Year of the Snake. So if you didn't like the Western New Year and January, you have a second chance. According to a Chinese astrology magazine, "we are entering into a year of death and rebirth, a year to make responsible decisions to evolve spiritually, moving away from old ways and habits that no longer serve us well. The Snake is said to be the best equipped due to its magnetic resonance to hear the heartbeat of Mother Earth. It is a dynamic year to learn from the past, moving

It was a cold and frosty morning, just like the Christmas song goes and we were in London in Hyde Park. At 1 degree and wearing 3kgs of extra clothing, the view took our breath away. Down the street was all the hustle and bustle of shops, Christmas lights and noisy cheer and here was a blanket mist of calm and peace. Parks in cities around the world are called, 'green lungs', and they are so important to those with no green space, balcony or even a window. We need to value, visit and support them so all of

Summer gave a sigh and said farewell. Autumn has arrived with cooler air and a weaker sun in a clear blue sky.  The markets are full of colourful vegetables, mushrooms and you just know that it is time to rug up. Not being a fan of winter, it is at least mild where we live and soups beckon, pear and parsnip, butternut pumpkin and cinnamon, all with a swirl of creme fraîche. Some friends love this time of year but for me it has a sense of melancholy, so I approach it with the same thoughts as Nathaniel Hawthorne,