Pancake Day Recipe: Dutch Pannenkoeken

I don't celebrate Shrove Tuesday back home, but any excuse to make a home-made batch of pancakes. The traditional pancakes in the UK are either American-style (quite small and thick) or crepes topped with lemon and sugar. For a twist on the classic Shrove Tuesday fare, why not try Dutch-style pannenkoeken? For toppings you can go either sweet (jam, nutella, etc.) or savoury (cheese, bacon, etc). My favourite is the cheese pancakes, which I made for this post, but this recipe is easily adaptable for different toppings and I provide some other ideas below as well.

Beauty and the Beast afternoon tea with Alan Menken

I love Disney. I'm sure I'm not the only one having grown up on the Disney films and going to Disneyland for special celebrations, but even as an adult I still have collectibles around the house, I go see all new films in cinema, and I adore visiting the happiest place on earth. So when I received an unexpected invite for a Beauty and the Beast-themed musical afternoon tea at the Corinthia Hotel to celebrate the new live-action film with legendary composer Alan Menken performing a medley of his most famous songs I felt like I'd won the lottery.

The Girls at Phoenix Theatre

Photo credit: Matt Crockett
I'm sure you're familiar with the 2003 film Calendar Girls. Starring the likes of Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, and Penelope Wilton, it tells the true story of a group of WI women posing for a nude calendar to raise money for a good cause. Gary Barlow and Tim Firth have taken the heartwarming tale and created a musical adaptation for the West End stage.

Unconventional by Maggie Harcourt

There was a time I regularly went to conventions, from LFCC and TV-show specific ones here in the UK to the incredible San Diego Comic Con in the US (by far the very best con experience ever!). Life and work has gotten in the way, and I've also not been as passionate about a fandom in a long while, but I still remember the good ol' days of little sleep and food, queuing from crazy o'clock for the biggest panels and stars, the fun swag and, of course, connecting with like-minded people to flail over something we all love. And Maggie Harcourt has captured the magic of conventions perfectly in her swoon-worthy YA novel Unconventional.

Dinner at Brown's Covent Garden

Situated next to the Noel Coward Theatre in London's West End, Brown's Coven Garden is the perfect lunch or dinner spot to combine with a stagey outing. And as someone who spends many evenings a week in this area of the capital, I loved checking this one out. With a combination of seasonal dishes, well-know dinner fare made to a high standard, and signature cocktails, the menu is perfect for those who want something familiar and homely with an added touch of finesse and a little razzle dazzle, befitting its location.

Stripes Publishing YA Showcase

On Saturday I ventured over to West London for a fabulous event organised by Stripes Publishing. The first part of the day was a showcase of upcoming young adult titles from authors such as Sophia Bennett, Sharon Gosling, Katy Cannon, and with surprises from their upcoming BAME YA anthology, A Change Is Gonna Come. After that we headed off for a tour of beautiful Leighton House, the home that inspired Sophia’s Bennett's Pre-Raphaelite parties in Following Ophelia.

An Instagram Tour of Paris

I had big plans for my break to Paris a few weeks ago as you could read in my pre-scheduled blog: Plans for My Birthday Weekend in Paris. Things didn't quite go as I'd written about them though, what with it being an emotional trip, a terrorist attack at the Louvre on the day I arrived, and some really bad weather. I'm still reflecting on whether I actually enjoyed my time in the French city, and so for something a little different until then I'd like to share with you a view of Paris as seen through my Instagram photos (because everything looks wonderful through a social media filter!).

3 Great Books for a More Balanced Life

If there is one thing that I've been craving in my life recently it's been more balance. Between a hectic work schedule and running around from one event to the other, I've been craving some much-needed peace and quiet. However, when you feel stuck in a certain lifestyle, finding that balance is easier said that done and so as a book geek I turned to literature to help me with this. I looked at three completely different books to show me a different way; one delves into the science behind the power of resting, one is filled with fun and easy experiments to help me wake up the conscious part of my brain, and one provided a stimulating creative outlet.

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Wing Jones is one of the few debut novels that has had such a buzz around it that I'd been looking forward to it months before publication. In fact, I was so excited to read this book that when Walker Books invited me to their Christmas blogger event, I only took for me to spot that author Katherine Webber would be there and RSVP-ed as quickly as possible before I actual read the rest of the email. Worth it.

A personal post...

I’ve had a whirlwind 10 days in which my reviews didn’t go up and the scheduled blogs that did go live weren’t shared across Twitter and other social channels per usual. I wanted to take this opportunity for a brief personal post to explain, and to stand still by someone who has been very important in my life.

Books and the City Spring Blogger Evening

Books and the City, the women's fiction spin-off from Simon & Schuster, has a special place in my bookish heart. Not only is it headed up by one of the most passionate and inspirational people in the publishing world (I'm looking at you Sara-Jade ♥) but my first book event after I moved to London was one they organised, and I've been hooked ever since.

Plans for My Birthday Weekend in Paris

As this post goes live I'm sitting on the Eurostar train to spend my birthday weekend in Paris! Last year I had an amazing holiday in Canada but that was very late in the year, making the work weeks seem even longer than usual. This year I decided to have lots of small trips, so I always have a getaway to look forward to. The first weekend break of the year has already arrived and I'll be in Paris from this afternoon until Monday night, spending my actual birthday day tomorrow in Disneyland. I'll be posting lots of photos after I've come back, but for now I wanted to share with you guys my plans for the weekend.

2 Memoirs I've Read by Funny Ladies

When it comes to memoirs by contemporary female celebrities known for their comedic chops, it's often Amy Schumer (The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo), Tina Fey (Bossypants) or Amy Poehler (Yes Please) people think of first. And while I don't want to refute their accomplishments, there are two actresses that I admire that have also recently published their memoirs, although to slightly less fanfare, that I'd like to talk about today: Lauren Graham and Anna Kendrick.