What do you buy someone who has everything? How about a goat? (A Charity Gift Guide.)

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house,

not a creature was stirring, not even a clickety PC mouse. 

That's because all of the organised shoppers are sitting smugly with a glass of mulled wine in hand (clearly they read my blogpost celebrating some amazing small businesses), and all of the disorganised ones are leaving gift buying to the very last minute, and are braving the crowds on the Saturday morning before Christmas. Because they like to live life in the crazy lane.

Well.

Carrying on my annual charity tradition (est. 2014) I want to pay forward some of the amazing karma I've received over the years and give something back to those less fortunate. Blogger gift guides are pretty well established now but as ever I couldn't just do a normal one - it needed a slightly Adventures of a London Kiwi twist (I even spotted a couple of little sheep fellows - hey, you can take the blogger out of New Zealand...)

Unique, quirky and full of love: a small business gift guide.

If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? If you are a blogger who doesn't write a gift guide, are you even entitled to buy rose gold accessories?

Obviously, I'm joking, but having never written a gift guide in the 5 years that I've been blogging bar my annual charity guide (an updated version to follow shortly, don't worry) I felt that an essential tool in my blogging arsenal was lacking deployment.

A Restaurant Review of Celeste at the Lanesborough.

This was a meal both of angelic delicacy and more earthly disappointment. Not the company, obviously, just read on.

After much to-ing and fro-ing, Aftab, Angie, Binny, Zoe and I managed to find a date that could all gather for my birthday (#bloggerproblems) we chose Celeste at the Lanesborough, excited to check off a restaurant that had been languishing on our spreadsheets (I wish I was kidding - but behind many hungry bloggers is an electronic hit list of tasty locations) for much too long. Chef Eric Frechon and Executive Chef Florian Favario hold five Michelin stars between them, so to say we were excited would be an understatement.

Spurred on by friends who had visited many times and loved the fare, we also managed to hook ourselves one of the London Restaurant Festival menus (allowing for less bank manager outrage and more champagne - my old maths teacher would be so proud). Unfortunately, it was a dark and rainy evening. We arrived shaking the rain from our coats and giggling at the rather late 21st birthday mug that arrived from Australian (thanks to my Aunty, who gave it to my Uncle who stored it between house moves.)

My Ultimate List of Desserts in London

We all joke about bloggers having separate dessert stomachs - it's a necessary job prerequisite - but as I sat here thinking about my next blog post, I realised that a) we didn't have any dessert in the cupboards without getting my baking tins out,  b) I had a space in the blog calendar and c) I'd never actually thought about which of the London puddings have been my favourite.

These are the ones that we've gone back time and time again for - occasionally popping in late in the evening just for a sweet bite or planning a whole evening around that crowning pastry.

The most unfortunate side effect of writing this post is the realisation that it doesn't change the state of my cupboards....

A Two Michelin Star Lunch: Hélène Darroze at The Connaught Hotel, Mayfair

Approaching birthdays seem to strike terror into the hearts of many people that I know - for a huge variety of reasons - but I've always just seen it as an excuse to hang out with the people that I love and as a reminder that life is too short to drink bad coffee.

Last year I celebrated a milestone birthday, and managed to eke it out to 6 weeks of celebrations (which is ludicrous, I know - but we had to wait for Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to finish their renovations. Honestly, Heston, really did you have to make us wait so long?) so this year as it wasn't a milestone, I managed to tamp things down to around a week - which I think is totally reasonable in the scheme of things.

Booking in a few lunches and dinners with a load of good people who helped me to celebrate, first up was a leisurely (ahem, four hour) lunch with Shikha (Why Waste Annual Leave) and Connie (Connie Consumes) at the luscious Connaught Hotel.

An Iconic Luxury Hotel Review: Raffles, Singapore

A raffia fan slowly spun as motes fell through the heavy sunshine. Seated in the gorgeous foyer, I was welcomed to the Raffles Hotel first by the immaculately liveried Sikh doorman and then checked in smoothly with a Singapore Sling in hand.

Disclaimer: As a guest of Raffles Hotel I paid a press rate for my suite,

but my swooning prose is very much original and unaffected.

After sitting for less than 5 minutes, she ushered me through the marble corridors to my very own suite, and welcomed by Li, my personal butler for the duration of my stay. She smiled from ear to ear,  welcoming me effusively to her home of Singapore.

The Bulford Kiwi - a 130m tall piece of Graffiti near Salisbury, Wiltshire.

High above the Salisbury Plains one of the biggest pieces of New Zealand graffiti in the world overlooks an army base. (It's to the left, out of shot.)

Forget the Westbury White Horse in Oxfordshire or the Cerne Abbas Giant over Dorset both cut into the hillsides by the Celts (possibly dating back to 500BC) as pagan worship to their gods; a giant Kiwi was dug into the rolling hills above Bulford Army base just after World War One and attracts curious locals and crazy visitors to this day.

Magical Train Journeys Around the World - A Few Of My Favourites.

It may be a cliche, but sometimes the journey can be just as astonishing as the destination.

I love catching trains. The ease, the ability to wander around whilst speeding through the countryside, the sweeping corners, the friendly people dispensing hot tea, staring out the windows for hours as the world chugs past, generous luggage allowances and the whistling engineers with grease smudges in their eye and rosy cheeks.

9 Places To Explore In Greenwich

Greenwich. It is the home of time, possesses a myriad of historic royal ties and panoramic views of London. What more could you ask for in a borough?

I keep meaning to do these area round-ups as a series, but always seem to be distracted. So far I've managed to sneak in an ode to Marylebone, a gastronomic guide to Kings Cross and a literal meander through the mossy pathways of Richmond Park.

Portugal: A Peaceful Long Weekend In Porto

One of the few regrets I had about my long weekend last year exploring Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais was not being able to fit a trip to Porto into the diary. I mean whilst you're in Portugal, you should be exploring as much as possible, right?

Or is that just being greedy?

Disclaimer: We were press guests of Cheapflights in Oporto, but all planning, mischief 

and thoughts are totally mine (and to be fair, Rebecca's). 

Luckily enough, a few weeks ago I was set a challenge by Cheapflights to book a long weekend away in Porto for two adults for the princely sum of £550. Nope, not each, that's split between us. Keeping things easy, breezy and on the affordable side for a slice of sunshine, all for the cost of a night in a gorgeous luxury hotel, or pair of designer shoes, we spun out a lovely little break from London.

9 Lessons I Have Learnt In 3 Months As A Freelancer

Freelancer. Freelancer. I still can't quite believe that I'm a (MacBook wielding, coffee drinking, flatly photographing, stereotype embodying) freelancer, running my own business and helping other professionals market their wares.

It's still only early days yet - I set myself 3 and 6 month markers to look at how I was doing in my venture, but I'm pleased to say that things are looking fairly healthy at the 3 month mark. I'm establishing my portfolio with some brilliant clients (*waves*) and every day I get out of bed looking forward to coffee crunching through my to-do lists.

A Bedazzling Brunch at Berners Tavern

A good 75% of my friends are bloggers (not bloogers as my confused fingers seem to think) and online based lifeforms who have transcended the matrix. The other 25% are fellow expats. It makes sense, right? Friends are with you for a reason, a season or a lifetime and when your conversations are littered with algorithm references (jokes, we aren't that smart) or cultural frustrations it makes sense to hang out with kindred spirits.

Why am I blathering about my friend type ratio and not the lovely brunch we enjoyed at Berners Tavern? Honestly, it's probably because this beautiful corner of Fitzrovia is so pretty that it is often fully booked out - and I don't want you to take my table. You would be more than welcome to join us next time though.

10 things to do in Wellington, New Zealand

The capital city of New Zealand is my spiritual heart (I fell in love whilst at university there) and with more cafes per capita than any other city in the world, it always feels like home. Walking down Wellington streets, my mind overlays so many memories - and I'm always amazed at how after a decade I still know how to get around without a map. I suspect it is indelibly etched on my heart.

I could actually suggest a zillion different reasons to visit Wellington, but for me, the most important ones are my brother, sister-in-law, two rosy cheeked nephews and my best friend (who I managed to also get to see up in Auckland!). Even if you don't possess such filial ties, Wellington is a brilliant city.

How to brighten up a rubbish day (with thanks to Vanilla Ice)

All right stop, Collaborate and listen / Ice is back with a brand new invention



I was dreamily listening to one of my random playlists the other day, and it segued into an 90s mix that not only made me smile (hello Backstreet Boys) and made my heart a little bit sad (Spice Girls Viva Forever). After a few songs Vanilla Ice somehow crept in, and my over analytical mind picked up a possible subtext to his hip hop lyrics.

My 10 favourite London afternoon teas - 2017 edition

Someone, somewhere in the universe has designated this week national afternoon tea week (only the best week ever to reminisce about afternoons of luxury and who needs more excuse to book a few more?)

It has almost become a blogger cliche, inviting the girls to a few hours of decorous luxury, but one that I rather adore. As I'm getting on in years (feel free to feel sorry for me...) I've swiftly come to the conclusion that I'd rather don a pretty dress to spend a little more on sandwiches and scones, than prop up a pub bar and feel very sorry for myself the next day.

That time we went out for brunch and accidentally hiked the Rangitoto volcano crater

Nothing seems to surprise my husband anymore. I must come out with ridiculous scenarios so regularly now, he doesn't even lift an eyebrow. Case in point, when I video called him from New Zealand. (He knew I was in NZ by the way, my whereabouts haven't become that surprising. Yet.)

"How was your day?" 'Good thanks, we went out for brunch with Ginni and Alice, and then hiked up a volcano crater.' "That's nice dear. It rained in London today" (sic)

Immersive Theatre & Escape Rooms

On weekends, we keep finding ourselves in a locked room with no windows, a scattering of strange objects, dimly lit furniture and random artwork scattered along the walls. Fortunately, it isn’t the result of too many drinks the night before and accidentally breaking into other peoples homes, but a fascination for the recent proliferation of immersive theatre and escape rooms.

I swear.

48 hours in Sydney, Australia

I'd only been to Australia once for more than 4 hours - back in the days when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Aside from picking up a sole faded photograph - sat on the plane next to my little sister, both of us dressed in scarlet velvet dresses trimmed with crisp white ruffles, I can't remember a second of it.

It's kind of crazy - even though Australia is the closest geographical neighbours to New Zealand, as it was so close, I'd never visited. Fresh from the desert city of Doha, Qatar, where the lovely Polly had shown me around her home in 40°C+ temperatures, I was ready to walk into an antipodean Autumn - a far more reasonable range of 15-20°C temperatures.

Hutong at the Shard: Luxurious dining with a London vista

Breathtaking London views, incredible flavours from Northern China, elegantly arrayed surrounds and a beautiful Wishing Tree, every branch perpetually hung with lucky red wishing cards. Hutong at the Shard is both everything that you think it will be, and yet nothing quite like your imagination.

Disclaimer: We were invited guests of Hutong at the Shard,

but my palette and misuse of ancient Chinese proverbs are all very much my own.

Invited to try out the newly launching menu courtesy of Head Chef Fei Wang's home province of Sichuan (the home of giant pandas and Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze), Shandong (known for its Taoist and Confucian heritage) and Beijing (known as much for its modern architecture as its ancient sites such as the grand Forbidden City complex) we toasted our good fortune with crisply poured glasses of Veuve Cliquot and much laughter.

A dreamy Shangri-La Hotel stay in Sydney, Australia

To sit in my hotel room window, and gaze over the Sydney Harbour - the waters enfolded by the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side, and the iconic Sydney Opera House on the other  - is a memory I won't forget for a long time.

I mean, this was the view from my bed.

When planning my epic holiday, it just so happened that one of my favourite London buddies, Madam Globetrotter Postcards (a regular guest on this little corner of the internet), was going to be visiting family in in Sydney - we're so close now, we have a joint railway card, talk about commitment - so we teed-up 48 hours of fun meandering, culminating in sunset cocktails from our hotel bar in the Shangri-la. (The evening before I stayed in the neighbouring Four Seasons, but more on that another time.)