How many times have you sat in a restaurant tucking into something delicious and wished you could recreate it at home? Well, now you can! BEEFY’S by Sir Ian Botham, the smart restaurant and bar that is part of Hilton at the Ageas Bowl, has introduced a new series of chef masterclasses. Head chef Tom King is passionate about local produce, and is keen to share his favourite ingredients with guests, showing how they … Continue reading BEEFY’S chef masterclass
Alongside a traditional Sunday roast, Wimbledon, fish and chips, and our quirky sense of humour, a nice pot of tea with dainty sandwiches, warm scones and as many pastries as I can eat is very close to the top of my ‘things that make me glad to be British’ list. Whether you say scon or scoan, and whether you’re cream first or jam first (it … Continue reading The Montagu Arms has afternoons off to a tea
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the spectacular 200-acre Exbury Gardens near Beaulieu in the New Forest. World famous for its Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and rare trees and shrubs, Exbury is celebrating its big birthday with some impressive new projects and a series of special events. A new ‘secret centenary garden’ and ‘stream’ of spring bulbs opened to the public in … Continue reading 100 years of glory at Exbury
Hidden away down a leafy lane in West Dorset is Down House Farm, a quirky garden cafe with the most delicious of home-cooked food. Mostly it’s walkers on the coastal path between Eype and Seatown, who stumble on the delights of Down House Farm, from signposts directing them on a short walk inland. Honestly if you drive down the lane you can’t help but question … Continue reading Dorset cafe worth hunting out
Sticky Post
It’s always a bit of a lottery, going out for a Sunday roast. It should be such a treat, but I’ve picked half-heartedly at too many lacklustre vegetables, hard roasties, and over-cooked beef. And it’s always a bitter pill when you have to pay for something you know you could have done so much better at home. So to find a pub that serves a … Continue reading A lazy Sunday afternoon at The Bell Inn
It is said that the best way to live is to ‘breakfast like a king’ – and never has that been more appropriate than when you’re enjoying the most important meal of the day at the new Ivy brasserie in Winchester. It might be tricky to get a table for the evening at this high street brasserie, but an early outing means many more empty … Continue reading Breakfast like a king
Whether you’re the world’s biggest fan of kitesurfing, or a total newbie to the sport, the Kitesurfing Armada Festival is fantastic to see. Hayling Island was the birthplace of windsurfing and, while still a mecca for windsurfers, it has now rapidly built up a reputation as one of the UK’s premier kitesurfing destinations. If you haven’t seen kitesurfing up close before, you need to! It’s a … Continue reading Let’s go fly a kite – on the waves!
What do you buy the dad who’s got everything? Well, we live in a spectacular part of the British Isles, so why not treat him to some of its highlights. Give him the gift of a wonderful summer memory! Yee ha dad For the yee ha dad how about a cowboy stay in an iconic Airstream thanks to Vintage Vacations on the Isle of Wight? … Continue reading Father’s Day. What sort of Dad is yours?
Porthcothan is a little-known village with a stunning, quintessentially Cornish Bay with grassy dunes, a huge swathe of sand and fantastic rock-pooling at low tide. Despite being close to the tourist draw of Padstow, it has a ‘step back in time’ quality reminiscent of the beach holidays we had as children. Ruddy cheeks, flip flops and sandy picnics. It’s idyllic for body boarding and water … Continue reading A quintessentially Cornish break
Just a few miles outside the county town of Winchester sits Stockbridge, a picturesque town in the heart of the Test Valley, which won Google Street View’s inaugural award for the foodiest high street in Britain. Continue reading Foodie’s delight in Hampshire
