You may or may not know that Watford holds a very special place in my heart. I used to live very nearby to the town and would not only catch the train there every day, to school, but would also regularly spend my teenage weekends there with my friends, shopping in H&M, lunching in the […] The post The Wonder of Watford first appeared on Poppy Loves London ..read more

Apparently I am the mummy to a princess. I didn’t know this. But from the moment we arrived at The Lanesborough for Izzy’s Little VIP Club experience and our family London Staycation, that is how she was referred to. “And YOU must be Princess Izzy?” said the doorman, the concierge, the butler… (yes, the butler). […] The post Princess Izzy at The Lanesborough first appeared on Poppy Loves London ..read more

Well, now it really does feel like Summer! The exclusive Chef’s Table at The House of Peroni is back at Open House in Hyde Park for 2024, and this Summer it’s hosted by the wonderful Cornish Orchards and Woodfired Canteen. I went along to experience this event for myself on Friday night and it was completely gorgeous. Long table dining is one of my favourite ways to feast, and I was excited. On arrival, guests receive a complimentary Cornish Orchards cider I popped out of Marble Arch station and walked for only two or three minutes, before I’d arrived in what seemed to be ..read more

In the heart of the city, tucked away on Garlick Hill (what a name – immediately looked into the etymology of this street name – I’ve included at the bottom of this post) is a beautiful five star hotel, full of character and greenery, named Vintry & Mercer. I was invited to come and spend a night to experience its escapist charm for myself, and it was wonderful. “Vintry & Mercer is nestled at the heart of the City, among the livery halls, guilds and narrow streets that line the banks of the Thames. This is where past and present intersect, where the long traditions of trade and comme ..read more

Making good, sustainable and ethical decisions when it comes to buying anything – food, clothes, furniture – seems to have become harder and harder. There are so many more questions I’ve started asking myself – where does it come from? How did it get here? Why am I buying strawberries from Morocco in the supermarket, when there are so many British producers… or I could grow them myself in the garden…? Keeping check on all the various elements of the buying process, even for something as simple as milk or strawberries, has become quite overwhelming, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. However ..read more

I am so very excited to share with you that my beautiful transformational course for women in business (or wanting to be in business) – Bloom & Breakthrough Bootcamp – is launching again in its second incarnation. I received such wonderful feedback from the participants of my October cohort, which has also allowed me to develop my course further, so I can now say with pride, that it’s even BETTER than it was before! Bloom and Breakthrough Bootcamp is for you if you are feeling stuck, blocked and unsure what to do to take yourself forward. Does this resonate with you? Are you feeling ..read more

Sunday lunch is such an institution and I for one, am all for it. I adore it. The thought of it makes me feel a bit giddy – kind of fizzy. It’s the prospect of Yorkshire pudding, roast beef and proper pud…and chatting with friends and family and cheers-ing one another and acknowledging that yes, we made it. Another week done. We go again tomorrow. We’ve entered the Can’t Put My Book Down era and I am delighted We hopped on the Victoria Line at Walthamstow and headed directly to Piccadilly Circus (and for any other 5 year olds reading, no, there are no clowns at Piccadilly Circus). Suddenly we ..read more

Easter is well and truly in the air and if you haven’t yet discovered Amarula Cream Liqueur, allow me to introduce my new naughty tipple – Easter Cottontail – to have with a side of chocolate eggs…  Easter Cottontail 60ml Amarula Cream Liqueur 250ml freshly brewed coffee 60ml cold milk 60ml vodka Garnish with coffee beans and grated dark chocolate Amarula Cream hails from South Africa and is made from the delicious marula fruit – a little bit sweet and sour, like a plum or lychee. The Marula trees grow only across Africa’s subequatorial plains, and they only bear their fruit once a y ..read more

Last week I hot-footed over to Upper St in Islington. I was there to see one of the first shows in the new King’s Head Theatre dedicated 200-seat space. After a successful run at New Wimbledon Theatre Studio in 2022, Turning the Screw – written by Kevin Kelly and directed by Tim McArthur – tells the story of the famed composer Benjamin Britten, set during the pink panic in the 1950s as he grapples (and boy does he does grapple) with his homosexuality whilst composing his opera, The Turn of the Screw.  The theatre itself is a total joy. It reminded me of another time ..read more

We knew we wanted to create a special grown-up feel to Belle Cottage in Whitstable, where people would feel that care and attention had been taken when it came to the design, without it being too ‘designy. If you get my drift. Last year we all went on a family holiday to Cretan Malia Park, and while we were there, we were inspired by the tile design in our bedroom (if you scroll down through the blog post, you’ll see the tiles in our hotel bedroom) and decided very quickly that this was what we wanted to create in the entrance to Belle Cottage – our holiday cottage in Whitstable. We now have ..read more