There’s something about autumn leaves falling and all the colours of the outside world changing that brings out a yearning in me. I suppose I should say it’s for poesie by the fire side, or at least for apple crumble or a bonfire or two. But in fact it’s simpler and more elemental than that. …
If you Google the word ‘cougar’, it won’t be long before the implausibly beautiful Claudia Opdenkelder pops up. The founder of Cougarlife.com, which has over 2 million users in the US, Claudia was here last week to publicise the new UK arm of her dating website, and whisked me out to lunch to tell me …
A very grown up time yesterday when I met my lovely agent in Selfridges’ new restaurant nestling in the shoe gallery (doesn’t that just sound so sophisticated? Well, it is). I must say it is sheer bliss to talk to someone else about my book. Usually it’s just me, in the still watches of the …
Gah! It’s nearly time for my half term idyll to come to an end. It’s only by the grace of God – or an inset day – that I am able to bring you this, from my dressing gown, at the shocking hour of 10.30. I have no idea how I’m going to manage waking …
Well, here we are in week two of the half term and I have descended into full teenage behaviour patterns, getting up at 12, slopping around in my dressing gown, and complaining when asked to do anything. Meanwhile, Child One is revising night and day for her dreaded GCSEs and Child Two is getting on …
My girls have TWO WEEKS OFF for half term, believe it or not, so the struggle to stop them sinking into teenage apathy is epic. Yesterday, as part of the good fight, we went off to Covent Garden to test out pizzeria Fire and Stone’s new children’s menu, designed with fellow parent blogger My Daddy …
Had a meeting of my real life book club (not to be confused with my lovely online blog book club) at home last night. Little Bingo was the star of the show, and a perfect host, moving graciously from lap to lap and sharing out his favours with a wisdom and discretion which was astonishing …
Went to see a great play the other day, Pitmen Painters, at the tiny little Duchess Theatre hiding behind the skirts of Covent Garden, just off the Strand. I’m ashamed to say I had never heard of this group of painters before, who all came from the same colliery and took up art almost on …
This weekend, with rumour and accusation swirling around one of our most senior politicians, I’ve been thinking about the differences between our approach to public life and the French way. In France, very strict privacy and libel laws would not allow papers to make free, as they have over the past couple of days, with …
I’m enjoying the Tesco Real Food Cook-Off show on Channel 5, shown on Tuesdays at 7.30pm – not least because lovely Tesco have asked me to try out some of the recipes at home. Somewhere, somehow, they may have got the idea that I am not the world’s most patient – or talented – chef …