Growing up in Norway, I had heard a lot about polar exploration, including how Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the south pole in 1911. As a child I spent a lot of time outdoors – building bonfires, camping and skiing in the mountains. Aged 14, seven years before my south pole … Read more
A trip to the coast felt in order when the temperature recently suggested that we, the residents of the United Kingdom, have survived another winter. Behold: sunshine, green shoots, cherry blossom, fresh hope and all that good stuff. And, soon, a glut of bank holidays during which we can unveil our factor 50-smeared knees at … Read more
Six years ago, the Royal Horticultural Society drew attention to the escalating challenges faced by independent plant nurseries. Citing pressures such as an ageing customer base, fewer skilled workers and the arrival of new pests and diseases, the gardening charity warned that nurseries – the “lifeblood of gardening in the UK” – were becoming increasingly … Read more
The prosecution: Priya She’s on social media all the time, but she takes for ever to respond to me and I worry we’re losing touch My best friend Mandy is 32 – a millennial like me. She has grown up with her phone and is always on it, but with me she takes hours or … Read more
My husband is on his iPad or his phone a lot. It is the last thing he does before bed and the first thing he reaches for in the morning. We have a toddler and are pretty good at sharing childcare, but the minute I appear after work he gets his iPad out. It grates … Read more
This is my take on the viral sensation originally created by Dubai-based chocolatier Sarah Hamouda, founder of Fix Dessert Chocolatier. Her ingenious bar, filled with crunchy kataifi pastry and a luscious pistachio cream, took the internet by storm with its well-balanced flavour combination and addictive texture. I’ve skipped ready-made pistachio cream in favour of a … Read more
The world seems to get loopier by the minute, so I am delighted to bring you news of one small way in which it is becoming more sane. In fashion, until recently, the only desirable handbag was a new one. “It bags” have come in all shapes and sizes over the years. We have lived through and … Read more
Beach retreat in northern Portugal Chus, who owns the local bar where I used to live in Galicia, shuts every September and decamps to Portugal. This entails a journey of 10 miles to the seaside town of Moledo. On his recommendation we caught the ferry across the wide estuary and reached Moledo within 20 minutes. … Read more
It’s disempowering when your smartphone, laptop or other important gadget runs out of battery. With the flash of a graphic or a plaintive bleep, we lose a way to entertain ourselves, get things done, stay in touch or even get home safely. There’s a time and a place for a digital detox – but what … Read more
Last month, it was my paternal grandmother’s 105th birthday. It’s unlikely that we’ll have many more chances to visit her, so my husband, daughters and I visited the Philippines to celebrate – my first trip since February 2020. Despite being born in the US and having lived here since, I still consider the Philippines home. … Read more