August 1, 2019
When I was nine years old my father built me my own house. More of a rough wooden cube but it became my beloved childhood den. My dad was an engineer, not of clever bridges or fancy buildings but of machines that made sweets. He designed and built the machines that made some of the candies we all still enjoy today.
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September 21, 2018
ONCE upon a time… there was a girl who lived in a magical place. Just being in this place made her feel healthy and she brimmed with vitality. In fact she felt so good about herself that she decided to share the sense of utopia with other like-minded girls. She invited them to join her amongst the olive groves and vineyards at her villa in Tuscany.
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July 9, 2018
You probably have dreamed of a next chapter, even kept a seed of an idea, or two or three, tucked away. And I’m sure that every now and then you find yourself thinking about that idea, wondering what it would really be like to dance to a new rhythm…
I had my own dream. Mine started with a tentative conversation with my husband about buying a simple holiday home in Italy,
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June 1, 2018
As fifteen classic BMWs cars sauntered through a tiny medieval village there was a earth shattering roar. Alongside us the entire mesh fence in front of
a school yard was filled with excited young children shouting and waving at us. Our bumper to bumper line of beautiful old cars stretched along the
cobbled street. Some of the kids escaped the confounds of the school and ran along side us whooping with joy.
March 1, 2018
As spring approaches, the fashion news is shouting out the new trends. Oh, what to wear this spring? This year I am thrilled to say that I am 18 years
ahead of everyone. I have had several sarcastic comments already, mostly from my kids. “Look mum, you are finally in vogue!” Yes, the onesy, boiler suit, jump suit,
January 18, 2018
Love design, love decorating. Fancy a trip to both London and Tuscany with me – then read on:
These first weeks of the new year have so many of us giving up on something. No more booze as you tackle ‘dry January,’ not one more Quality Street
until next Christmas, puddings after every meal – done with them and enough with the binge watching of constant Netflix series…
November 28, 2017
Four years ago I knew little about wine except that I loved to drink it and that Rosé was not a blend of white and red! I showed little interest in
the world of wine, struggling through a restaurant wine list choosing basically by price. I am sure I am not alone in this.
How things have changed for me.
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September 8, 2017
Wherever I go, I am always inspired by good design. I recently took to the Croatian Seas and sailed along the Dalmatian coastline with eleven great
friends. Take note of the great friends bit. If you have ever wondered if a sailing holiday is something you would enjoy, choose the friends or family
you will travel with very carefully.
July 21, 2017
The heat and dust of this year’s Tuscan summer has left us floating around in a dreamlike haze. We have come to the end of four quite incredible
retreats and now I get to rest and enjoy my Italian home. Nearly eighty women and a few men (included in our gourmet getaway) have spent a week with my team and I at our Tuscan Getaway.
June 23, 2017
The summer solstice has us all celebrating as we embrace the onset of summer. Mind you, in Tuscany, the summer heat this year has been with us for months – one of the hottest Junes on record according to the local farmers here in Italy. The much-needed spring rain was just a trickle, then departed. The near-drought conditions soon bleached the vibrant green fields of newly sprouted,
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