Author Archives: sheg4184

A Not-So Gracious Tea

“Its orient tinge, like spring-time morn, Or baby-buttercups newly-born; Its balmy perfume, delicate pulp, One longs to swallow it all at a gulp, Sure man had ne’er such gifts or theme As your melt-in-mouthy Devonshire cream.” An eulogy on a … Continue reading

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Freedom

As our teenage sons baulk at the various house rules we attempt to enforce, I grapple with the idea of them emerging into a world without parental control, and I often find myself contemplating the parenting of today compared with … Continue reading

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A Special Anniversary Dinner

I really enjoy cooking, but I prefer it if the recipes are relatively simple and there is room to manoeuvre: ‘oops, I don’t have zucchini, what else is in the fridge?’ that sort of thing.  And I really enjoy eating … Continue reading

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Driving: More Fun in the Philippines!

Recently we have started teaching our older son to drive. In Manila. I haven’t actively dissuaded him from learning to drive, but nor have I actively encouraged him. There are so few safe places to get him used to driving a … Continue reading

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Israeli Cuisine: Exotic Simplicity

Down a narrow residential street behind Rockwell is an exciting new restaurant, Atelier 317. Opened in November 2012 it is the brainchild of local chef and newly-wed, Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi. The menu is a wonderful potpourri of all her travels and … Continue reading

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To Taal with TourFlair

Taal: not just a volcano and a lake, but also a UNESCO heritage town in Calabarzon, overlooking Balayan Bay, about two hours south of Manila. Recently, I went on a fascinating expedition to Taal with food safari TourFlair. The drive … Continue reading

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‘Just because we can’

Hong Kong: tower blocks rising in stately splendour around the harbour as if reaching for the clouds, bedecked in brightly coloured light displays that have us craning backwards to gawp through the rear window of the taxi, mouths wide open … Continue reading

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An Oriental Afternoon Tea

I know you have been to afternoon tea with me many times before, but not in Hong Kong. Yet. As a former British colony, one would expect a more polished job here than most other cities outside the UK, and … Continue reading

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Shoes: the Fetish of a First Lady, or a National Passion?

Imelda Marcos, wife of Filipino President Marcos, became internationally renowned in 1986, not for her charismatic personality, her movie star looks or her contribution to Filipino culture, but for her butterfly sleeves and her infamous collection of shoes. When Imelda … Continue reading

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Sensational Gourmet Dining!

Antonio’s has long been a popular destination with wealthier Manila residents for a luxurious Sunday lunch away from the madding crowd, so I  had booked a table  for a special family occasion. It is a bit of a trek – … Continue reading

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