A journey through Italy's renaissance heritage

Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is one of the most popular tourist destinations for travellers worldwide, especially for those who love history, like myself. If you’re heading to Europe this year, whether on your own or with family and are looking for somewhere beautiful but also packed with places that are educational, historical and culturally significant then Italy should be on your list. When I t ook my boys Interrailing in 2022 we were lucky enough to spend time in the Turin, Levanto, Pisa Florence and Rome and prior to having kids I was also lucky enough to visit Venice and Milan, however, there are still many places I would like to visit, especially for the art, ancient ruins and stunning landscapes.   Touching back on Italy’s Renaissance heritage, I thought I would share more about it and give a little insight into it.  What is the Renaissance era? The period spanning the 14th to the 17th centuries marked a profound transformation in European history an......

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Larmer Tree Festival 2019 Review

*I was provided with tickets in exchange for an honest review of Larmer Tree Festival Larmer Tree Festival has been on our festival bucket list ever since my eldest came onto the scene in 2010 so we were really excited to finally be able to tick it off this year. For those who don't know Larmer Tree festival, started in 1990,  is a three-day music, comedy and arts festival that takes place yearly at the beautiful Larmer Tree Gardens and is known for being very family-friendly. While Larmer Tree isn't as small as The Big Retreat Wale s we went at the start of summer, the fact it's capped at 5000 festival-goers means it's still really manageable with young children. This year they had a stellar line up with artists such as Kate Tempest, Gomez, Josie Long and family favourites such as Andy and the Odd Socks. I do have to be honest though and say when we attend a festival as a family we usually just play it by ear and not schedule the day too much as children ......

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5 reasons why Tuscany is at the top of our family bucket list

Italy, one of the most culturally rich countries in the world with breathtaking countryside and you will find few who would argue that fact. The last time I visited Italy was before having kids, traveling around by train, exploring the narrow streets of Venice, lying on the beach in Rimini and learning about local delicacies in Bologna. But the one place I have had a longing to explore is Tuscany, the name alone conjures up scenes of miles of golden sunflower fields, long warm evenings eating al fresco with exceptional local wine in hand while the children run around without a care in the world. So if that doesn't sell Tuscany for you then here are 5 reasons why it should also be at the top of your family bucket list. 1. Be inspired by art If you read my blog you know will know we love to visit Art galleries and seek one out on nearly every holiday we go on. Tuscany is recognised as the home of the Renaissance-era movement and was also the birthplace of many ......

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4 Must Try Unique Experiences in Brisbane

After my last post about why I want to visit Iceland and reasons why it should be on your bucket list I thought I would do the same for another country I am desperate to go to - Australia. Having grown up in the South Hemisphere (South Africa) I know a lot of friends who have moved down under as the lifestyle is very similar. I love hot climates and living near the coast and I know I would just love it there and have been putting together a few favourite off the beaten track places I want to see in Brisbane, which is meant to be one of the most underrated cities in Australia. So what is it that I find so appealing about Brisbane, well like anywhere I like to visit places that are vibrant but have less tourists, but still plenty to get your teeth into and Brisbane is just that. Still very much a large and bustling city with it's being the third most populated in Australia, the capital being Queensland means there is plenty of great cafes, art scene, nice establishments, and......

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Why It's Easy To Fall In Love With Jewellery

My mother has some beautiful rings, ones I know she is planning to pass down to me, I remember being mesmerised by them when I was a child and even though the worth my not be massive they hold sentimentality as well as being very well made. They will become one of those things I know I will hold onto until I want to pass them onto one of my own children because the thing with jewellery is not only an exquisite form of art that can add emotional meaning to your life. It can also be wonderful for celebrating milestone events, weddings or birthdays with birthstone jewellery . In fact, for someone who appreciates the complicated craftsmanship of making handmade jewellery, to me it's really is kind of art form of which creators spend their whole life perfecting. I also love vintage pieces and it can be a real thrill of finding unusual pieces discovered by accident in unlikely places such as charity shops or car boot sales. If you love jewellery or simply have an interest in ......

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Cardiff goes Pop with Bricks at Home and Ushi's

I love pop-up shops and I love that Cardiff is finally embracing them so much. It means that smaller independent stores that are usually only found online or outside the city centre get a chance to be more accessible to a larger audience for a short period of time as well as adding something new to the more established shops in the city centre.  Recently St Davids Cardiff got in touch to let me know about two Pop Up Shops currently making themselves at home in the centre and I made sure to check them out. The first shop I stopped off at was Bricks At Home - a art and interior design concept store based on Pop Art and Lego. I loved it! In my mind Cardiff does not have enough diversity when it comes to accessible art in comparisons to larger cities like Bristol and London.  I got to spend some time talking to the owner Andy Morris who believes in bringing playful design to modern life and Bricks at Home was the perfect combination of a gallery space to hel......

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5 Fantastic Theatres in South Wales

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at The Sherman Theatre, Cardiff When visiting Wales for the first time or the hundredth time, the one thing you will most assuredly want to do is have a night out at the theatre. If there is one thing the UK is famous for around the globe is the amazing theatres that offer everything from Broadway musicals to family theatre to opera. Whether staying in Cardiff or any of the outlying cities and towns, you will find some of the best entertainment there is to be found while getting a taste of culture, Welsh style of course! Here is a sampling of some of the favourite theatres Wales has to offer. 1. Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff The Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff opened back in November of 2004 and over the past decade has been host to a great number of theatre events including such things as ballet, opera, musicals and comedy events. The centre itself is an arts centre that is located on a total land area of 4.7 acres and the......

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Bringing Art into the home

Growing up, our home was always a place that celebrated design, my mother went back to college when I was around 10yrs old to do an Interior Design qualification and she often offered advice as well as setting up her own workshop producing guided frames for high end interior stores. As you can imagine our walls became an extension of that and certainly not a space that was overlooked, from framed tapestry they had picked up on their travels to prints picked up at auction houses and even on or two commissioned pieces, art was always in our lives. The walls of our homes offer so much vertical space, space that can be dressed up to our liking and there are so many great reasons why we should as it's the perfect way to showcase your interests and personality. Here are a few simple ways to bring Art into your home 1. Start off with some Black and White classics - if your a little afraid of bright colours or clashing with your furniture then going monochrome is always a......

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My design pick of 2015

I was recently asked by Feathr what my favourite design piece of 2015, which was a really interesting question as I had not thought to pinpoint one product or idea I had seen, especially as independent stores, products, art and creativity had boomed during 2015 it meant it was a pretty hard choice. I had recently came across these beautiful British Made Barometer weather clocks from Bramwell and Brown , their simply but eye catching design immediately caught my eye paired up with the beautiful mechanical moving art work which visual tells the weather. Feathr put a really interesting article together with the help of 28 interior experts, bloggers and journalists, each sharing their favourite design piece and I have to say I love them all and I cannot wait to see what 2016 has install. ...

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