Home in Time for Tea

One of the most amazing Spaghetti Bolognese dishes, and that's after returning from Italy a week earlier... Well, in Italy of course most generic bolognese dishes are great, but you expect that. However up here in a pretty little corner of England called Stamford, there is a delightful and incredibly authentic and genuine little Italian restaurant called L'Oliveto. Just a week after our road trip through France and Italy this summer, I visited this wonderful little place with Richard and some friends.  Along with true Italian style hospitality, L'Oliveto serve up the meatyest, thickest, most delicious and generous portion of spaghetti bolognese I have ever had in the UK, it really is on a par with, and sometimes above, Italian bolognese in its very own homeland. I think the best bolognese I've ever had was in Austria when it came complete with tiny celery and carrot chunks, and the sauce was just as thick and tasty as the one describe...

Most Charming Towns and Villages to Visit! (Discovered on Road Trips and Holidays in Europe off the Beaten Track) I was recently inspired to blog my Top Ten Quaintest Towns and Villages that we have come across on our road trips and holidays in Europe so far. Since our holiday to Corsica and the South of France I have have fallen in love with two more quaint little villages and added them - Eze, and Pigna... Most of these places are best reached by hiring a car in Europe or perhaps using trains, busses or other European public transport. Some of them are not all within easy reach of main airports or all that easy to travel to from main cities. That is, of course a big part of their appeal as they are such genuine little places which are full of unique character... E njoy! Annecy, France Annecy Vielle Ville (old town) is a colourful, rustic, cobbly affair in Haute Savoie - France. It has a canal weaving through the ce...

Travel Artwork - When I Can't Capture it on Camera... I have a regular digital camera and as far as the technology goes, I'm not any sort of adept travel photographer. My camera usually just does a good enough job to capture an element of lovely little scenes capturing my attention when I'm on my travels, but if the sun has set, I can forget it! However sometimes the 'feeling' of the moment is just lost when I simply 'take a photo.' Now, this is where professional Photographers will be able to jump right in, and their photos really do speak for themselves - see Elia Locardi HDR Photography  for example, for some simply stunning photography of various inspiring locations like Prague. It is without doubt that pieces of work like these capture and even enhance a scene .   However I just don't have the so much photography knowledge, equipment, or expertise at my disposal. So I feel that my artistic skills (which manifest more as painting and draw...

        So you're going on holiday to France, you've got your basics and you know how to order a glass of wine... but how can you get past the awkwardness? Read on to eliminate those blank looks, be understood, and feel like you've nailed it - holidays to France have never been more successful!   1. Manners in French In France, be assertive but maintain formality and be considerate . French people don't seem to apologise for things for no reason the way we British do, and quite rightly so. If you're asking for a karafe of water, don't apologise or thank them profusely - it's their job and all you need to do is ask (politely). You don't need to return the favour by helping them move house or anything. Always use please (s'il vous plait) and thankyou (merci) and make sure you mean them. Don't overuse them (as we tend to do in Britian), or let them lose their meaning. 2. 'Bonjour' This is no...

We had booked four nights in a hotel in Corsica and two nights in a hotel in Eze on the Cote d'Azur. The rest was up to divine intervention (or knowing where the sun was shining!) I couldn't wait to get some holiday heat and sun, and wear the summer clothes which had simply gone into hibernation at the back of my wardrobe. As I sat on the bed thinking of how hot it would be in the South of France and Corsica in peak season, I started to wonder how hard it would be to find hotels during this busy time of year. Time would tell. We've always got the car...! We set off in the car on our road trip from Dover at a reasonable hour (you'll see this is a rareity in itself if you read my other road trips!) Then we headed South...   ~ Vichy ~ First stop, Vichy in the centre of France, famed for its Nazi occupation in WW2. We came across the Celestins spa water source and figured this must be a volcanic spa town. Yes - it is! We stayed at ...

Since working alongside Hairdressers and Beauty Therapists, I have been getting used to some free treatments which is so addictive (poor me), but it still collides with my outdoorsy and slightly rough-and-tumble ways when I'm on holiday, especially on the beach. So here are some hair and beauty remedies and tips for the pitfalls of the outdoors and the seaside... 1. Seawater and Skin This is so so so good for your skin and scalp - swim in the sea on your beach holiday, just use moisturiser and conditioner afterwards. The problem I'm facing though is the state it leaves your hair in. Although it is good for your scalp (which in turn is good for your hair growth), it dries out the existing hair and lifts the cuticle, allowing moisture out (and colour if your hair is coloured). Use macadamia oil or a serum, and a cold rinse help to close the cuticle after washing it, but make sure you put some protection on b...