Hotel room; bed in the foreground, desk with TV set in the background; big windows in both walls

Old City Inn Hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan (Review)

You might have heard that the Old City isn’t the best place to stay in Baku. But I found it just right! Although much quieter than the Fountains Square area (the actual centre and heart of Baku), it still has lots to do. And the rates are significantly lower! Old City Inn Hotel is in […]

Two posters on a wall next to an artwork hanging on a metal rod

Margot Schiemann Opens Riverbanks of Grief at the Tavistock Centre

Margot Schiemann is a London-based psychotherapist and visual artist. She has exhibited at the Institute of Group Analysis, the Medical Art Society and Burgh House, among others. This month, she’s showing her collection Riverbanks of Grief at the Tavistock Centre in North London. Speaking at the exhibition launch last Friday, Margot discussed the word “trauma”, […]

Baku, Azerbaijan – Useful Info and Travel Advice

I spent a nice few days in Baku earlier this year, and I also want you to give this underrated place a try! This is a quick post with tips, heads-ups and recommendations. Baku Main Information Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, a transcontinental country in the Caucasus. Until 1991, Azerbaijan was part of the […]

Woman in a yellow dress standing in front of colourful artworks in a gallery space

“Art has really, really helped me” – an interview with Jo Aidoo

This October, artist Jo Aidoo returned to the Tavistock Centre with a new exhibition. She previously had a successful solo show here in 2023, and also took part in Tavi Open. Her new exhibition Faces, with African Twist was part of our Black History Month celebration. Jo was born in Ghana and now lives in […]

Man in green jacket and with a black backpack standing at a white marble balcony, looking at a bay and the city below

First Time in Baku, Azerbaijan. My New Favourite City?

On my way to work, I used to walk past the Azerbaijan Visa Centre in London. “That’s an obscure place to visit. I wonder if many people go there,” I remember thinking. I wasn’t even quite sure where it is… And little did I know that a few years later, one of those people will […]

What to See in Tirana – Top 10 Attractions

I love Albania so much that my trips there are now a yearly tradition. I can honestly say that its capital, Tirana, is one of my very favourite cities in the world. Not sure what it is exactly, but I feel at home there, every single time. Even though tourism in Albania is shooting up, […]

Woman wearing a blue blouse and a handbag standing with her profile to the camera in front of a wall with two blue-tinted artworks

Q&A with Alla Rubitel, Artist and Psychiatrist

In September, I hosted June Corpuz and Alla Rubitel at the Tavistock Centre for a collaborative show. Their exhibition Structures by Man and Nature featured over 30 artworks in a variety of mediums, including cyanotype, aquatint and Japanese woodblock print. Alla Rubitel is a London-based artist as well as a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at the […]

Green mountains in Albania, with a curving road in the bottom right corner; 'Ohrid to Tirana by bus' written in yellow and red letters at the top

Getting from Ohrid to Tirana by Bus

Taking a bus in the Balkans is the most efficient and economical way of getting around. Whatever your itinerary, there’s likely to be a suitable connection available. But when I went online before my trip from Lake Ohrid in Macedonia to Albania’s capital city of Tirana, I found scarce information and contradictory timetables. My journey […]

Woman wearing a colourful dress, a dark navy blazer and a dark pink handbag standing in front of a wall with two green-tinted artworks

Q&A with artist June Corpuz

In September, I hosted June Corpuz and Alla Rubitel at the Tavistock Centre for a collaborative show. Their exhibition Structures by Man and Nature featured over 30 artworks in a variety of mediums, including cyanotype, aquatint and Japanese woodblock print. June Corpuz is a largely self-taught contemporary artist and printmaker. She has a particular interest […]

Neo-Baroque building, with columns and a dome, and huge yellow letters spelling BELFAST in front of it

2 Days in Belfast: Titanic, Murals and More

I don’t usually celebrate birthdays, but this year, I wanted to treat myself to a solo weekend trip. Belfast seemed like a good option, it being not far from London and small enough to explore in a weekend. And it’s been on my UK travel bucket list for quite some time! This is what I […]

Church tower and modern buildings above a busy road with cars, set against grey sky at dusk with a moon

Underrated Bratislava: 12 Things to See

The Slovakian capital was never much of a tourist destination. Internationally, it’s mostly known for the caricatural portrayal in films like EuroTrip and Hostel. Visitors to the region usually reduce it to a day trip from Vienna, or give it a miss altogether. But that’s a mistake! This unassuming city has so much to offer that a […]

People talking at a table in a café, with many plants in the window

6 Cafés to Visit in Bratislava, Slovakia

I had no expectations before my first visit to the Slovakian capital. Not least that it has a really cool café scene! There were only so many I had the time to try during my 2‑day trip. So, for now, here are 6 cafés I recommend in the centre of Bratislava. Urban House This was […]