It has been a week of bright, sunny days that suddenly turn into chilly evenings. The sort of weather that can wreak havoc with dinner plans. Twice this week I have had to make last-minute changes when the temperature dropped. What started out as a light supper of stuffed aubergine ended up being rethought as … Read more
Lachlan says he first noticed me when I was working as an usher at the Eternity Playhouse theatre in Sydney before Covid, but I first remember meeting him in December 2021 when we started rehearsals for A Chorus Line together. I was instantly attracted to this handsome, talented guy. When I found out he loved … Read more
Giovanni’s on The Hayes, 38 The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1AJ (029 2022 0077;giovanniscardiff.co.uk). Starters from £4.55; pizza from £12.55; mains from £14.95; desserts from £7.30; wines from £28 Places from your childhood age slower than you do. Giovanni’s is a family-run Italian restaurant in the centre of Cardiff. While most of the landmarks of my … Read more
Comedian Rob Becket in 1988 and 2025Comedian Rob Becket in 1988 and 2025. Later photograph: Pål Hansen/The Guardian. Styling: Andie Redman. Archive image: courtesy of Rob Beckett Born in south London in 1986, Rob Beckett is a comedian and broadcaster. He started on the standup circuit in 2009, performing at the Edinburgh fringe in 2012 with his show Rob Beckett’s Summer Holiday. … Read more
There is a place in western Greece where, in a single day, you can frolic at an all-inclusive resort at breakfast time and then, after lunch, wade through an entrance to the underworld. This is Parga, built over a double-curve bay where the beaches are studded with tasteful tourist attractions, and inland the Acherontas River … Read more
Australian Anna Ryan-Punch was 15 when she received her first friendship book – a handmade and decorated pocket-sized booklet full of names and addresses of people looking for pen pals. Recipients were invited to add their details to the list, send a letter to other signatories and then pass the booklet on to someone new. … Read more
Last week I took my daughter to see the new Snow White film and on the train she told me how all the girls had been called into a special assembly. It was to tell them that makeup was strictly forbidden – some girls (she discreetly told me their names, vaguely scandalised) had started wearing … Read more
Nestled in a classic Haussmannian building in Paris’s 17th Arrondissement, Tiphaine Verdier’s apartment is a feast for the senses. This large duplex, perched on the top two floors, is not just a home but a canvas where colour and creativity collide. With a fearless approach to bold hues, Tiphaine has transformed what was once a … Read more
I’m a big chocolate lover, and Easter is as good a time as any to branch out, try something new and spend a few extra pounds on something special. While the wheel doesn’t need reinventing, it’s been particularly fun to see a lot more unconventional shapes popping up this year. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. … Read more
Doug, 35 It was like we’d pressed a reset button on our relationship When I met Maggie on a night out 10 years ago, I fancied her instantly. Even though she kissed my friend that night, I didn’t let that stop me pursuing her. I liked how different she was from everyone I’d known growing up. … Read more