The joy of a giving and receiving books at Christmas
In Iceland there’s a word for the mass purchase of books in the run up to Christmas: jólabókaflóð (pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot) which roughly translates as ‘Christmas book flood...
Books, films, exhibitions
We All Love Stanley Tucci
Unless you’ve been hermit-ing hard, you will know that Stanley Tucci is having a moment. He is currently popping up everywhere thanks to the release of his latest book TASTE: My Life Through ...
This week we’re reading: The Gentlewoman’s guide to Modern Manners
Technology and social norms have changed so much since the millennium’s turn that sometimes I am not sure what is passé or proper any more; like how to politely leave a gathering, whe...
The joy of swimming (in the wild and indoors)
Growing up by the coast, I’ve always loved a splash-around in the sea. Now a city-dweller, the repetitive, meditative nature of lane swimming was one of the things I really missed last ye...
Feel-good books to read in celebration of Design Month
September is Design Month at TNMA headquarters thanks to London Fashion Week and the multiple events that form The London Design Festival. While these events may sound glamorous and elite, at i...
11 books that have seen us through summer
Some friends I’ve spoken to have said they’ve found reading books quite difficult throughout the pandemic. And I get it.
Must-see exhibition: Charlotte Perriand at the Design Museum
At last we have a chance to see a major retrospective of the work of the interior architect and furniture designer Charlotte Perriand (1903 to 1999). A Parisian of modest background she joined the Ate...
What Oprah’s new book taught me about anxiety and trauma
I recently went through a family health scare, my mother has cancer and was taken into hospital. I don’t normally suffer from anxiety, but I found myself having panic attacks on the way to an...
Landscape artist Sarah Bee shows that age is no barrier to learning new skills
After the intensity of the Euro 2020 Championships, I think we all need something calming to focus on this week… Sarah Bee and I met many years ago when she worked as a make-up artist and...
Tablescaping: How to set your table this summer
Dust off your fancy plates and polish your silverware, dining parties are once again on the horizon! So, it is no coincidence that a trend for elaborate table setting – think candelabras, crystal an...
Feast your eyes on these beautiful blooms
It should have been RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week, but due to the pandemic the highlight of the horticultural calendar has been postponed until September. Ne’er mind.
Hooray! Museums and galleries are open again. Here’s what to see…
The pandemic has turned into a ‘plandemic’ now we have to book everything online. Good news though, from today, many of Britain’s major museums and art galleries are re-opening to...
