hotel review london
I love a bouji staycation and I’m very aware that turn of phrase makes me sound like an absolute trollop.

There’s just no way around it; hotels are to good times what good times are to a Lela. To date, the record of extraordinary days to days I’ve ended up face-planting into sheets someone else has mace is one-for-one. I back staycations for all occasions.

For my recent birthday, newly opened aparthotel The Chronicle had my name written all over it.

Though the building nestled just a street back from Chancery Lane (and, most importantly, a quick Uber to Shoreditch) it is unbelievably quiet and spacious. As parent company Supercity Aparthotels’ reputation might suggest – a veritable home away from home.

The Chronicle boasts 53 elegant apartments (five of which have private terraces) with comfort-minded living areas, beautiful bedrooms, original – and typically cheeky – art, luxe bathrooms, Kerridge-ready kitchens, and all associated amenities.

It was the perfect pad to fill up (and glam up) before a boozy birthday brunch with drag queens and an even better hangover hideaway.

In fact, the complimentary Sky TV package (including sports and movies) really helped with the latter.

Time to find something else to celebrate…



hotel review london
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nissan leaf road trip
One year ago I moved into a gated community brimming with electric car charging points.

Beforehand, I hadn’t given much thought to the EV explosion. As one in the majority of carless Londoners, I could offer you names of a handful of brands with electric cars to speak of and little more.

The points piqued my interest. Day in and day out, I would see normal-looking (hell, even nice-looking) cars plug in for a charge before silently slipping away.

As an eco-conscious woman with a penchant for the open road, I had to get involved.

In the end, I did so with the Nissan LEAF – Europe’s best-selling electric vehicle of 2018.

The decision was easy. I was taking a road trip from London to South Wales’ Brecon Beacons and the LEAF seemed to be the the most efficient choice to travel the 220+ miles electrically.

Before setting off, we plotted a route out on Zap Map (Nissan’s own website uses the app as a travel guide) to ensure the journey’s two hour-long breaks were at spots we could find electric charging points.

Though its impressive 200-some mile range may have got us there on a single charge we were faced with freezing temperatures, traffic and a need for bass-heavy road trip playlists – all of which drains the range.

(Planned pit stops are key to avoid range anxiety.)

Beyond that, we were as good as gone!

With bags loaded and push-button ‘engine’ revved, I began to notice the LEAF’s little luxuries. Everything in the car was smarter and slicker than expected; keyless entry, digital screens, parking cameras, bluetooth Bose audio, hands-free calling, et al. All working to make every second spent on the road enjoyable.

The LEAF is also, bizarrely, a lot of fun to drive. Silent, but deadly (if you will):

Its e-Pedal lets you accelerate, brake and come to a complete stop with a single pedal. Its Propilot (and Propilot Park) helps keep you centred, covers blind spots and even parks for you with the press of a button.

A heated steering wheel and seats don’t hurt, either.

By the time we reached Long Hare Barn we were looking up parking permit prices to support a longer-term investment.

The two-cottage site, Little Hare Barns, is part of Premier Cottages’ new collection of properties with EV Chargers which made it the perfect destination for our EV-centric trip.

The weekend was spent walking around the Beacons, cooking up a storm in the super-stocked kitchen, playing board games next to a roaring fire, making friends with locals in nearby pubs, and nursing our New Year’s hangovers in the cottage’s beautiful expanse.

We simply popped the LEAF on charge the night before we were due to drive back and motored home to the Big Smoke with ease.

I would do it all again in a heartbeat and couldn’t recommend this exact trip enough.

A week’s stay in Long Hare Barn for five starts from £592.50 and a three-night weekend from £474 (www.premiercottages.co.uk, 01873 811200)

nissan leaf road trip

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A lot has happened since my first trip to Doha. Both personally and…Qatar-ily. In the three years that followed the country has pushed full steam ahead to build all things World Cup 2022, fallen into an unexpected diplomatic crisis (severing ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain), and developed faster than any country I’ve visited in my lifetime.

The skyline is no longer a skyline. What was once a handful of aspirant skyscrapers has become a pop-up book of investment, expansion and pride.

One which now harbours much more than you’d expect from the eminent stopover destination…

(All outfit details at the end of the post!)
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I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a weekend in so-called ‘Shoreditch by the Sea’ before visiting Margate. My research seemed promising (beach, food, amusements, et al) but I had yet to hear many people say much of anything about Kent’s north coast.

The trip was, affectionately, a gamble in a heat wave. One that offered just enough intel to help you do your own introductory trip in the best way.

What to do in Margate

The seafront
The primary draw of Margate is the ability to be on the beach within a single hour and a half train journey from London. And it doesn’t disappoint. Margate’s seaside has golden sand, warm water, and a refreshing lack of ‘sea and be seen’ behaviour you get outside of British beaches.

Compared to destinations like Brighton or northern Cornwall, there were also significantly fewer people than expected for genuinely hot weather meaning both the beach and its surrounding restaurants felt more relaxed and accessible.

Dreamland
Dreamland is a funfair on steroids. The amusement park has been on a rough ride of its own since launching over 100 years ago (administration, multiple closures, and more) but has since been re-imagined to perfection. With new owners and investment, Dreamland now hosts new rides, live music, street food, film clubs, a roller disco, and more.

You can even purchase ‘twilight tickets’ which give you access from 5 to 9pm Thursdays to Sundays which, with alcoholic slushies in hand, offers an unforgettable night out.

It is also undeniably Instagram-friendly with neon lights, giant rainbow racing slides, and delightfully colourfil landscapes.

Turner Contemporary
Though the contemporary art museum is less than ten years old, many people thank it for the resurgence of tourism and development across Margate at large. I didn’t have the time to make it inside but admission is free and it sits right on the edge of the seaside, making it an ideal pitstop for a day in Margate.

Where to eat in Margate

There are quite a few well-reviewed spots along the seafront, so we made sure to beeline for two of the best – Peter’s Fish Factory and Cinque Ports. The fish factory is exactly what you’d expect from a chippy with a line around the block; fresh produce, friendly service, and a wide variety of finely-fried fishies.

Cinque Ports offered something a little more refined, without being pretentious. Their focus is on elevated pub food, sourcing everything seasonally and locally. Though I initially sat down for a recovery plan of fried pickles and Bloody Marys, everything that came out to our table of six was phenomenal. Double corn fritter burgers to smashed avo on toast.

Where to shop in Margate

Though the small town hosts a handful of high street favourites, Margate’s real shopping destinations are its Shoreditch-synonymising vintage stores. Pink-walled Peony Vintage and its surrounding shops on King Street hold some of the most unique French vintage I’ve seen in years, but there seems to be a little vintage space worth exploring around most corners. Even RG Scott’s Furniture Mart offers an Aladdin’s Cave of restored and vintage finds.

Want to plan your own trip? Enjoy Margate has the goods!



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day break travel blog
Flight delays are one of life’s nasty little inevitabilities and if you’ve never experienced one before, they’re also pretty overwhelming to navigate. Luckily, I’ve had my unfair share of delays, cancellations, and unexpected overnight stays to give you the low-down on how to deal like a sky-flying pro.

Listen up…

Keep your cool

You’re not the first and you’re certainly not the last, babe. Delayed and cancelled flights occur every day (knock on wood), so try to stay as calm and proactive as possible. Ask the airline staff about your options kindly and see what protocols they have in place to deal with things like connecting flights, refunds, etc after thinking through your options. Remember – no-one wants you to have a bad experience with their company and most people will do everything they can to help. Most airlines will offer food and drink vouchers or lounge passes if the delay is less than three hours. Take advantage of what you can get and channel all the chill you can.

If their response is not what you’re looking for, call your travel insurance company and see what they can do. Most delays over three hours will turn into compensation, miles, and more.

Do a day break!

My favourite thing to do during an especially long delay is leave the airport and go on a day break. Rather than mulling in chaos, I love to explore a new city a little longer than expected or get a ‘day break hotel’ to work, sleep, eat, and more. Services like DayBreakHotels can offer a day room for around 70% off the full night price and often throw in things like spa access, turning a bit of a nightmare into a dream!

Get your money back

According to European Regulation EC 261/04, a passenger is entitled to a reimbursement of up to 600 euros if a flight is delayed for over three hours. All compensation claims I’ve made have come back to me within a few weeks but there are also plenty of legal options you can pursue if you’re having trouble.

Legal bodies like Bott & Co Solicitors claim a 99% success rate in winning flight delay compensation claims (no win, no fee) and apps like AirHelp even offer options for overbooked flights.

Happy travelling (when you get ’round to it), gang!