The Caffeine Chronicles: Special Guests Coffee

London has welcomed some truly special new specialty coffee shops in recent months. One of my favourites is Special Guests, a beautifully designed cafe in Marylebone that serves an exceptional range of coffees.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Scenery Coffee

I first came across Scenery Coffee when I enjoyed one of their particularly delicious Colombian coffees at Loam in Brighton earlier this month. When I found out that Scenery's café–roastery is much closer to home, in London's Borough neighbourhood, it didn't take me long to pay them a visit. With a wide selection of great coffees served in an airy and spacious café, it was well worth the lunchtime walk.

The Caffeine Chronicles: March Coffee Favourites

With signs of spring finally arriving in London, it's the perfect time to share some of my favourite coffee discoveries from the past few wintry weeks. Whether you're looking for standout London cafes to visit or great specialty coffee to brew at home, this round-up will keep you well-caffeinated.

The Caffeine Chronicles: TAO Cafe, East Croydon

These days, I mostly work from home, but once a week I head into the office in East Croydon. Until recently, there hasn't been much in the way of specialty coffee to discover on my lunch breaks, so I was excited when a new coffee shop opened earlier this month. After a couple of visits to TAO Cafe, I'm happy to report that it's a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Profile Coffee, Highbury

I don't often make it up to North London, but as Profile Coffee has been on my to-visit list for an age, it was high time I paid a visit to the Highbury specialty coffee shop. With welcoming and knowledgeable baristas serving exceptional coffee in a beautiful, calming space, Profile was well worth the wait.

10 Unique Places to Stay for a Memorable Holiday

Last year, I stayed in some incredible hotels Sri Lanka: The Fortress Resort & Spa near Galle was particularly dreamy. As I start planning my travels for 2025, I've been reminiscing about some of the other beautiful places I've stayed in over the years. I've put together this selection of my most unique and memorable stays around the world. I hope it helps inspire your own holiday plans!

My Top 5 Books of 2024

As the new year begins, it's time for my annual round-up of my five favourite books from among all of those I read in 2024. I read 123 books last year — my highest total since the pre-pandemic times when I was still commuting regularly. Thrillers, mysteries and crime were my most-read genres, as usual. And I read almost of these on my Kindle, finally upgrading to the newest Paperwhite model after years of service from its predecessor.