A Villa Escape press trip   To be able to travel just a few hours away from a rainy March in England and land to clear blue skies and mountain views still feels like a novelty, no matter how many times I visit Marrakech. That’s one of the special things about it, feeling worlds away, yet being able to fit it in over a weekend if you wish.  This time I was back to stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech. Too special a place to pass up the opportunity to visit, made even more evident when we drove up to the entrance. The feeling of calm that washes over you when you’re greeted with a ..read more

A Slow Start Presenting a creatively titled blog post by yours truly, SEO be damned. The beginning of February will mark four months of living in our new house in Somerset. It’s not been an easy few months for other reasons, so wallpaper and light fittings haven’t exactly been a top priority, but as I’m here with plenty of time to mull it over, I thought I’d chat a bit about where things are at as first-time homeowners.  Before buying I had a very romantic view of what it might be like to move into a house and make those changes that turn it into your home (thanks Instagram). You start w ..read more

Hello, Somerset I wanted to write this on the train back from London, as it felt more poetic that way, but there was a man next to me doing work that looked far more important than online journalling, followed by a lady who was eating her packed lunch. All far too distracting for my far-too-distractible mind. So here I am, at home in Somerset after carting my suitcase up a path with fields on either side and views of rolling hills- the new commute.  It’s been around two weeks since we moved home to Somerset after 13 years in London. I won’t dwell on that too much, I don’t like goodbyes ..read more

A Cottage on a Cliff If any of you reading attempted to book a last-minute holiday in the UK last summer, you’ll know how impossible it was to find anywhere. The post-lockdown local tourism boom was very real and rather than risk the FOMO I thought I’d get something booked in advance- the best excuse to finally visit a Landmark Trust property. If you’ve not heard of the charity, they save, restore and furnish buildings with historic importance in the UK (and a few overseas), creating unique spaces for holiday lets. I’ve had my eye on a few for a long time now, and the photos of Arra Venton in ..read more

What to do (and eat) in Rome I won’t be as brazen as to call this a guide to Rome, because I absolutely am not as well acquainted with this beautiful city as I’d like to be, and frankly spent most of my time there walking around with my mouth agape— look at it! But I did think I’d throw together a post with some of the places we went, as after my social media onslaught of images, I figure that you might want a more permanent place to check for any recommendations.  As you might have spotted, we stayed at The Hoxton, which made for a fantastic base to explore. You aren’t right there in th ..read more

Largo Benedetto Marcello, 220, 00198 Roma Ciao, Roma! press invitation   Great headboards? Check. Murano chandeliers? Check. An extremely laid-back vibe that’ll keep you lounging in the lobby all afternoon? It’s gotta be another Hoxton Hotel, and this time we’re in Rome, Italy. I was kindly invited to spend a couple of nights at The Hoxton’s 10th and most recent opening in the Italian capital, and I’m not one to turn down an excuse for pizza and pasta. I’ve expressed my love for various Hoxton outposts here before, and relish a snoop around any of their launches. Until now, I ..read more

Brain Dump Hello! It’s been a while, eh? As I’m sure I’ve lamented on numerous occasions, I don’t often feel quite as compelled to post here on the blog anymore. The time spent creating a post vs the minimal feedback is a little off-putting. I know, I know, I should be doing it for myself, like the ‘good old days’, but I don’t get quite as much enjoyment out of spilling my guts on the internet as I once did. The older I get the less I want to be perceived, which a good social media personality doth not maketh.  Days do come around every now and then when I feel like chatting but am not ..read more

St Ives Bay Ad – Press Stay   I’ll admit, I may have forgotten how to put together a blog post. What was a daily occurrence once upon a time has slipped quite a way down my to-do list, but I’m forcing myself back into it every now and then, if not for those of you that still stop by to read my longer-form bits and bobs, for myself and the decade-plus of memories and personal stories that I’ve shared here. It’s some of those memories I’d like to post today. Forgive me if my writing is a tad shoddy, I need some practise. Last month I gathered some friends for a long-awaited trip to the Sou ..read more

A Day Trip from London So, this is what it feels like compiling a blog post? It’s been a while! If you follow over on Instagram, chances are you’ve seen the majority of these pictures already- one of the reasons that posting here feels obsolete most of the time, social media has already seen it all. But I don’t want my blogging membership revoked, and I’m not about to give up completely after 13 years of sharing any and every adventure here with you (even if you is just future Carrie, looking back on life). So, let’s get to it… After a series of lockdowns (yes Carrie from the future, tha ..read more

Where to Visit in Somerset I’ve been meaning to write a proper guide to Somerset, the county I really consider home, for ages now. But every time I visit I never quite tick off the list of places I want to go or photograph, and then a new one pops up. So, let’s call this part one, shall we?  With most of our holidays this year focussing on the UK, I couldn’t recommend a weekend away in the West Country enough. I may be a tad biased, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you’ve never ventured that way before. Ok, so Cornwall, Dorset and Devon might have better beaches, but there ar ..read more