Top 5 Places in London for Pokémon GO

Are you tired of seeing nothing but Pidgeys, Drowzees and Rattatatas (an eerily realistic depiction of the animals, and drunks, found 'in the wild' in London) on your Pokémon GO sightings? There are some great places in the city to find the much-coveted starter Pokémon, evolutions, an abundance of Magikarp so you have plenty to grind up and get a Gyarados, and even a location that spawns Pikachus like clockwork. I've spent the last few weekends exploring London through my Pokémon GO app and am sharing my best finds with you below.

Vanities the Musical at Trafalgar Studios

Photo credit: Pamela Raith
Written by Jack Heifner, Vanities the play opened many decades ago in New York but it has taken an astonishing forty years for the story to delight London audiences as the musical adaptation, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, opened at Trafalgar Studios this week. Despite its global success I wasn't familiar with the story before seeing the show, but it was the star attraction of the three leading ladies, Ashleigh Gray, Lauren Samuels and Lizzy Connolly, that caught my attention. And having the opportunity to see them perform in the intimate Studio 2 was an absolute delight.

Book review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I've come very late to the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children party, but with the film being released at the end of the month I of course had to make sure that I would read the source material before immersing myself in the cinematic experience. The new movie tie-in edition doesn't have the quietly unsettling cover with a black and white image of a young girl wearing period clothes eerily levitating above the ground, but the contents certainly had that 'peculiar' atmosphere running throughout its pages.

Bumblescratch at Adelphi Theatre

Photo credit: Francis Loney
Written by Robert J. Sherman, Bumblescratch seems to have an unlikely starting off point for a musical venture; set during the Great Plague in 1665 and the Great Fire in 1666 it centres on a London rat and its cohorts. Then again, when you think about it, many a classic musical is based on farfetched concepts; from rollerskating train carts with a God complex through to the UK miners' strike in the '80s. Yet as long as there is something for audiences to connect to within the show; a likeable character they can relate to or a plotline that resonates with them, then even a farfetched story can become believable. 

Highlights from the Bloggers Festival 2016

I have heard great things about the annual Bloggers Festival, impeccably organised by blogger Scarlett London, and was gutted when I was unable to make it last year. Luckily the timing worked out much better for the 2016 edition and I was able to attend and enjoy the event for myself. It was a great opportunity to meet bloggers and brands (some I already knew and some new), sample foodie delights, and find new products to fall in love with.

Exploring England: Arundel Castle

When I initially heard about Arundel Castle, my first thought was of course Frozen. This Castle, built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, does look like it could've come straight out of the Disney fairy tale, and while the town's name sounds like Arendelle too (inspired by it, perhaps?), it is actually not imaginary but is nestled among the hills of West Sussex. We did not find Elsa, Anna and the gang during our visit, but we did see an impressive stately home, incredible gardens, a falconry display, and even a battle of the time periods.

My Month in Favourites – August 2016

This past month has been crazy busy with work. In addition to making overtime at my day job as my holiday to Canada is coming closer and I need to get ahead of my work load for that period now, I've started freelancing for one of the big UK book publishers. It's super exciting stuff, but combined with my normal job and my blogging it does mean that I'm doing almost two full-time jobs. Busy, busy, busy. But let's get onto my favourites for August! In addition to my Canada trip only being a month away today (eek!), things that kept me sane these past weeks include: Dance Academy, Harry Potter, Pokémon GO, and a day trip to stunning Arundel Castle.

Book review: Barefoot on the Wind by Zoë Marriott

Beauty and the Beast is a tale as old as time, and the Disney adaptation is one of my favourite animated films. It isn't without its flaws, however. Library envy and adorable talking tea cup aside, the story is dated and sexist, and it's doesn't make sense that while the Prince is the one being punished for being selfish, it is Belle who has to learn to look past his beastly exterior to break the curse. So when Zoë Marriott described her take on the classic fairy tale as a feminist interpretation, I was intrigued. And when she read an excerpt ending on a massive cliffhanger, I was most definitely hooked.

Baking Rana's Artisan Gluten Free Bread

With The Great British Bake Off having kicked off again last week, who doesn't feel inspired by Mary, Paul and the contestants to go on their own quest to creating a scrumptious showstopper? But if the fear of soggy bottoms gets the better of you, rather than attempting to create something entirely from scratch, a simpler baking adventure might be more suitable to get into the swing of things.

Little Shop of Horrors at New Wimbledon Theatre (UK Tour)

Photo credit: Matt Martin
Sell A Door Theatre Company has been doing stellar things within the UK in recent years, going from strength to strength with their touring productions that often rival West End shows in talent and production values. I've been a big fan ever since I saw Spring Awakening back in 2011 and they've gone on to produce shows such as Avenue Q, American Idiot and Hand to God. Their latest big musical venture is cult classic Little Shop of Horrors, which opened at New Wimbledon Theatre this week.