It would be virtually impossible to visit Indonesia and not be exposed to the country’s most creative art forms, batik. Derived from the word ‘ambatik’ it translates to mean ‘a cloth with little dots’. On her first visit to a batik store, I found the many colours, patterns and the smell of the actual batik overwhelming. But after spending time on the island of Java, the types of designs and their origins became apparent.

I’ve been a fan of Mal Maison ever since I reviewed their Birmingham branch a few years ago. And when one opened in Reading practically on my doorstep, I decided to make it one of my ‘go to’ places to hang out for a drink at the weekend. But I can’t say I ever really sat down for a meal – until now that is. It was lure of their wine dinner that eventually enticed me in.

Rum has to be my favourite tipple of all time. Even more so since my trip to Jamaica last year. So, you can imagine my glee when I heard that Casa Bacardi has opened right on my doorstep in Reading, Berkshire. They was only one thing to do and that is to head there and check out the venue for myself while sipping on a rum – naturally. 

As someone who is a proper sun worshipper, (I practically have my heating on in the summer) I don’t like winter much. But there are a few things out there that help me get by and soften the blow. Knee high boots, my faux-fur coat and mulled wine – lots of it! And now London’s Skylight Rooftop bar is one of them. They have just relaunched their winter season and I can tell you that their igloos will leave you all warm and cosy and away from the harsh blistery weather outside. 

As a self-confessed fitness fan, I’m always on the lookout for trying new sports. And when I heard kitesurfing will feature for the first-time ever at the Paris 2024 Olympics, I wondered why I hadn’t paid as much attention to it before. A sport well-loved by Barack Obama, Prince William, Emma Watson and Richard Branson, I decided to try my hand at a crash course.