In Calais

London Review of Books | 24 Dec 2015

At the Jules Ferry refugee centre in Calais on Saturday there were hundreds of men clamouring to get in to listen to Handel’s Messiah but the gates were closed, with 700 people already inside. I was there with Play 4 Calais, an offshoot of the Lexi social enterprise cinema in North London, spearheaded by the actress Alix Wilton Regan. The aim was to bring four days of film screenings to some of the Jungle refugee camp’s estimated 6500 inhabitants, including children who are waiting to be reunited with their parents in the UK.

• Current Affairs

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Ash boarding in Nicaragua

The Week | 12 Dec 2015

For a country the size of England, Nicaragua has more than its fair share of volcanoes, says Caroline Phillips in The Independent. For a country the size of England, Nicaragua has more than its fair share of volcanoes, says Caroline Phillips in The Independent. For a country the size of England, Nicaragua has more than its fair share of volcanoes, says Caroline Phillips in The Independent.

• Travel: Americas

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Exploring Nicaragua’s volcanoes in a cloud of ash

The Independent | 13 Nov 2015

Nicaraguan volcanoes are multi-functional. They don’t just stand around bubbling, burping and erupting. A local mayor and presidential candidate, the late Herty Lewites, once suggested that the Santiago crater of the mighty Masaya Volcano be used for rubbish. This to save on incinerating costs. His idea was vetoed.

• Travel: Americas

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Our crystal palace

Evening Standard | 11 Nov 2015

There’s something of the fairytale palace about this north London family home – something to do with the way it twinkles. There are crystals set in door handles, sparkling pieces in the legs of the bespoke dining table and glinting speckles inlaid in the rims of oversize doors. Even the decorative fruit is made of crystals.

• Homes, Interiors & Property

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‘I tried sensory therapy for my past trauma’

Healthista | 9 Nov 2015

There was that time my house was hit by a tornado when I was at home. And then there was my physically and emotionally abusive childhood, at the hands of my mentally ill mother. Yes, I’m a good subject for trauma therapy. But actually nearly everybody has suffered trauma. You don’t have to be a war veteran or a survivor of incest or of a car crash. Even seemingly benign experiences can be traumatic for some – it depends on your attitude – from that nasty knee surgery to root canal treatment at the dentist or a ride on a roller-coaster.

• Caroline’s Life,
• Health, Beauty & Spa

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Savage beauty

The Luxury Channel | 17 Mar 2015

Savage Beauty, a major retrospective of the work of visionary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, is a cut above the rest. The exhibition – which originated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York – has been edited and expanded, with 244 items on display. Clothes will always look dull after these.

• Shopping & Fashion

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Seductive Symi – the quietly smart Greek island

The Times | 31 Jan 2015

We develop a spring in our step on the island of Symi. No wonder – there are apparently 374 steps from its harbour, Yialos, to our villa. This is according to its owner, George Kalodoukas – an erstwhile sea captain – who sports a moustache that could double for a thatched roof. Regardless of his impressive facial decoration and his impossibly white Panama hat, his maths proves wonky. I count only 278 steps.

• Travel: Europe/ Africa

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