fancy a tour of Birch & The Zebra Riding Club?

I loved the space, I do love the mix of industrial and reinvention, I love seeing the girders and the buildings previous life as power station and coal store before being converted into this restaurant. It has a really spacious seating area, with both communal tables and more intimate areas tucked away.

This is a set of images I never managed to push publish on and it got lost in the draft folder. The wonderful Anna Barnett hosted a brunch for a few lucky guests in her then newly renovated flat in association with Falcon Enamel. It was full of spring sunshine and gorgeous flowers and wonderful food.

A few weeks back, I flew to Aberdeen at the invitation of Walkers Shortbread.

I knew a factory tour was a big part of our visit as well as a visit to the town of Aberlour and aside from knowing (and consuming) many a tartan box full of shortbread, I really didn’t know much else. I came away pretty much a Walkers Devotee, no other Shortbread will make it into our pantry and I can talk endlessly about the company like I’ve worked there for many a year, not just spent 48 hours in Walkers company.

Last year, I had my first visit to Elmley Nature Reserve a very special place on the Isle of Sheppey, about an hour from London. You can read about that first visit here

As that event was focusing on something else, I didn’t mention too much about the Farmhouse. At the time, accommodation at Elmley was predominately the huts and a house you could rent out, however plans were underway to renovate the dilapidated plot into something spectacular.

A few weeks back a group of utterly charming and talented women gathered together at artists Yvonne Coomber’s invitation. A very generous ‘artist in residence’ stay, we gathered at Pip Farm in Totnes, Devon. The farm had been filled with Yvonne’s work, each wall adorned with her joyful, happy paintings. Each window sill, ledge, infact most flat surfaces where filled with vases of flowers. You couldn’t walk into a more happier space.

Amsterdam in April, there was still blossom in the trees and tulips starting to fill bicycles and flower beds and boxes. We were celebrating both our wedding anniversary and 48 hours child free, we clocked up 60,000 steps, ate pancakes, the best ever apple pie, walked up and down nearly every canal, crossed all the bridges, visited the Botanical Gardens, peered into various hotels, found the plant and globe house and sat watching sunrise by the pool atop of Soho House Amsterdam. Here are our favourite images from our trip and our recommendations….

Daylesford farm began its organic journey 35 years ago. Now, one of the most sustainable organic farms in the UK, its 2350 acres in the Cotswolds is also home to a beautiful farm shop, restaurant, café, a spa, cottages and a cookery school.

Ten good things about April…

Elmley Nature Reserve is peaceful and breathtaking and I spent a few days, meeting an incredible group of women….

I spent an afternoon learning how to natural dye with the super talented Kathryn Davy….