February is all too often considered an awkward ‘inbetweener’ of a month; the festive vibes are over, spring feels like a distant rumour, the weather can’t make up its mind and the days remain short and chilly. Not much fun.
In addition to this, the fact that a school holiday falls in February is even more awkward. If you’re not going for a ski in the Alps, what are you supposed…
Parents’ evenings can often feel like a whirlwind — ten minutes of polite smiles, scribbled notes, and a handful of “doing well” comments before you’re hurried on to the next classroom. But those few minutes are actually golden opportunities to really understand your child’s experience at school — beyond grades and test scores.
Too often, parents come away knowing how their child…
If there was ever a reason to leave the house with the kids, this is it. Picture this: a 300-metre-long tiramisù, a historic London venue, Italian flair, families queuing not for a rollercoaster but for a slice of a Guinness World Record, and every forkful supporting charity. Yes, really. On what is often dubbed the unhappiest day of the year, we gathered at the Italian Cultural Institute in…
Born on 16 December 1775, Jane Austen turned 250 in 2025 and, true to form, the celebrations have refused to end on time, with festivals, exhibitions and Austen-mania happily spilling over into 2026 for a writer who never goes out of style.
Two hundred and fifty years after her birth, Jane Austen remains one of the most read, loved and quietly revolutionary writers in English literature. No…
To celebrate the release ofTheSpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, in UK cinemas now, (Cert: PG) we have teamed up with Paramount Pictures UK to offer an exciting SpongeBob Movie merch bundle full of treasure.
Included in each bundle is atattoo sheet, pirate hat, ocean night light projector, kids glow in the dark pjs and a beach towel!
SpongeBob and his…
January arrives every year with the same energy: grey skies, cold toes, and a suspicious lack of motivation. Monday 19 January 19, 2026 is the so-called Blue Monday, the unhappiest day of the year. If winter has you feeling a bit meh, flat, or emotionally wrapped in a blanket of “can’t be bothered”, you’re not alone. The winter blues are very real – and no, drinking more coffee…
Tucked away in the quiet town of Russi, in the province of Ravenna, the Villa Romana is one of those places that gently surprises you. There is no grand entrance or dramatic fanfare, yet once inside, you realise you are standing in one of the best-preserved examples of a Roman villa urbano-rustica in northern Italy.
I was lucky enough to visit on a private tour, guided by Riccardo Morfino…
Mongolia beckons adventurers with its vast steppes, ancient nomadic culture, and untamed wilderness. This land of endless horizons offers experiences unlike anywhere else on Earth, from sleeping in traditional gers to galloping alongside wild horses. However, a successful Mongolian adventure requires careful preparation and understanding of what makes this destination so unique. Whether…
Akram Khan’s reimagining of Giselle, performed by the English National Ballet at the London Coliseum from 15–18 January 2026 (sold out), is not simply a ballet revival – it is an emotional reckoning. Intense, visceral and visually arresting, this production grips you from the first moment and refuses to loosen its hold.
From the rise of the curtain, the physicality of the dancers…
Some nights are pleasant. Others make you grin all the way home. This one? Properly electric. I went to Emerald London with my friend Francesca for the launch of a new weekly residency celebrating the music of Van Morrison, fully expecting a smooth, soulful evening. What we didn’t expect was to walk out agreeing – slightly shocked – that we’d enjoyed this even more than seeing…