Welcome to House With No Name. I write about everything from books and films to education, family and France.
I used to find David Walliams (and Little Britain too) plain annoying. But now I’m going to have to eat my words. Firstly because he did that amazing swim for charity along the murky River Thames and secondly because he’s fast becoming a writer to be reckoned with. I adored Billionaire Boy, his third children’s book, which I picked as one of my Christmas reads last year. Sweetly dedicated to ...keep reading
Soon after the coalition government was formed David Cameron and Nick Clegg announced their intention to delay morning cabinet meetings so they could help with the school run. But in this week’s Grazia interview the PM said he doesn’t take his two school-aged children to school as much as he used to, though he does try and do it once a week. “…every morning there are priority meetings and phone ...keep reading
The Royal College of Art invitation sits tantalisingly on the shelf. This year’s RCA Secret sale takes place on November 26 and looks set to be as good as ever, with original postcard-sized works by superstar artists alongside up and coming art graduates. Last year’s show featured art by Tracey Emin, David Bailey, Peter Blake, Maggi Hambling and many more. RCA Secret was launched back in 1994 and is now ...keep reading
Tuesday is my favourite day of the week. Why? Because a loud thump on the doormat signals the arrival of the latest issue of Grazia. I subscribed to the magazine a few years back, ostensibly for my student daughter. But in truth I love its heady mix of news, reviews and fashion just as much as she does. I’m supposed to be writing a book review right now but couldn’t ...keep reading
Under a grey October sky we joined a queue stretching the length of Birmingham Cathedral and across the churchyard green. Everyone in the line had snapped up tickets for the last day of Laura Marling’s For Whom the Bell Tolls tour (you had to be quick because they sold out in a trice) and the sense of excitement was palpable. The tour has seen the singer play a series of ...keep reading
A Saturday round-up of the week at House With No Name House With No Name Book Review: William Fiennes’s The Music Room House With No Name Film Review: The Help House With No Name Glamour: The party to celebrate the 2011 Cosmo Blog Awards House With No Name Goes to the Dogs: The dreaded dog debate rears its fluffy head House With No Name Lifestyle: Country or City? The best ...keep reading
I’m one of the judges for the first novel category of the Costa Book Awards this year – so I’m up to my eyes in books at the moment. For that reason, I’ve decided to steer clear of novels for this week’s Friday book recommendation and choose a non-fiction title instead. The Music Room was published in paperback last year but I only read it a few weeks ago. I ...keep reading
A pink cupcake, a gothic-looking ring, fake eyelashes, jelly beans and some blusher from the new beauty line by Nicola Roberts (aka the redhead in Girls Aloud). It’s been quite a while since my children used to bring home party bags, but I’ve forgotten how much fun they are – unless, of course, you’re the hapless parent who has to organise them. I remember assembling healthy goody bags at my ...keep reading
Oh dear. The dreaded pet debate has raised its fluffy head again. My children’s young cousin is about to become the proud owner of a puppy and my usually laid-back teenagers are green with envy. They claim they are deprived children because they’ve never owned a pet. Well, apart from a sickly goldfish in a polythene bag that my daughter won at a fair. It swam listlessly round its tank ...keep reading
My favourite books are the ones that make me laugh, make me cry and make me think. I reckon the same rule can be applied to films – which is why The Help, the new film based on Kathryn Stockett’s tale of life in the American Deep South during the 1960s, is an out and out winner. Stockett’s book, which chronicles the story of a group of black maids who ...keep reading